Common pheasant, or the Caucasus pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) is a bird of the subfamily Phasianinae, of the family Phasianidae, order galliformes. Originally an Asian species introduced in other parts of the world.
Refers to the number of domesticated birds and is a common object hunting.
General characteristics
Body length up to 85 cm, weight of 17-20 kg, Males larger than females.
On the head of an ordinary pheasant, in contrast to other genera of pheasants, remains the only featherless ring around the eye. Very long, wedge – shaped tail 18 of the tapering feathers. Vertex short, rounded wings form the fourth and fifth feathers. Males spurs on the legs and brilliant plumage.
Males are brightly colored, with metallic luster on the feathers. Their color is quite variable. The Northern form (subspecies) of the head and neck of the male is Golden-green with purple-black tint at the bottom. Golden-orange, with black edges to the feathers of the back are moving in copper red, iridescent purple tail covert feathers. Tail feathers yellow-brown with copper-purple edges. Naked eye-ring red. The female is dull brown, gray sand, with black-brown spots and dashes.
Distribution
Common pheasant is widespread from Turkey to Primorye and the Korean Peninsula, including the Caucasus and the Volga Delta, Central Asia (Afghanistan, Mongolia) and Bo?most of the China and South-East to North Vietnam.
Nominate subspecies Phasianus colchicus colchicus (“Semirechensk phase”) lives in the Caucasus, sometimes in large quantity, acclimatized and polutoratonny throughout Western and southern Europe. Its home is covered with forest and the reeds of the river valley of the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia.
Besides the nominate subspecies, on the territory of the former USSR other subtypes, for example, Phasianus colchicus persicus (y the South-Eastern coast of the Caspian sea), Phasianus colchicus principalis (in the Aral-Caspian lowland), Phasianus colchicus chrysomelas (ibid.) and others.
The North Caucasus pheasant (Phasianus colchicus septentrionalis) is listed in the “List of objects of fauna in need of special attention to their status in the environment”.
Lifestyle
Common pheasant lives in forests with undergrowth, or in thickets of bushes. Rests near water in thickets along river valleys and lake shores, in dense forest thickets, the rich curly and bushes and non-contiguous small forest clearings, or in bushes on the edges of fields. Scared, he rarely rises to the trees, preferring to hide on the ground in the grass and in the bushes.
Its main food consists of seeds, small fruits, berries (in the Caucasus – buckthorn and Chernogorsk), shoots. Also eats grains, insects, mollusks, worms.
Reproduction
Interestingly, in wild common pheasant lives in monogamy, in paludamentum in polygamy.
Builds nests on the ground. Full masonry, to which the common pheasant begins in early spring, consists of a very significant number (up to 20, usually 8-18) plain brown eggs. Incubation lasts 22 to 28 days. Incubates and drives Chicks only female; males do not participate in breeding Chicks
Ordinary pheasant, or Caucasian pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) is a bird from the subfamily Phasianinae, of the family Phasianidae, a detachment of otters. Originally an Asian species introduced in other parts of the world.
It refers to the number of domesticated birds and is a common object of hunting.
general characteristics
Body length up to 85 cm, weight up to 1.7-2.0 kg. Males are larger than females.
On the head of an ordinary pheasant, unlike the rest of the pheasant families, only the ring around the eyes remains unopened. Very long, wedge-shaped tail – from 18 tapering to the end of feathers. The top of The short, rounded wings form the fourth and fifth flight feathers. Males with spurs on their legs and with brilliant plumage.
The males are brightly colored, with a metallic luster on the feathers. Their coloration is quite variable. In northern forms (subspecies), the head and neck of the male are golden green with a black and purple tint below. Golden-orange with black edges of feathers of a back gradually pass in copper-red, feathering nadhvostja emitting violet color. Feathers of tail yellow-brown with copper-purple edges. The bare ring around the eyes is red. Female – dull-brown, gray-sand, with black-brown spots and dashes.
Spread
The common pheasant is distributed from Turkey to Primorsky Krai and the Korean Peninsula, including Ciscaucasia and the Volga Delta, Central and Central Asia (Afghanistan, Mongolia) and most of China, and in the southeast to northern Vietnam.
The nominative subspecies Phasianus colchicus colchicus (“Semirechensky pheasant”) lives in the Caucasus, in places in large numbers, acclimatized and semi-wet in the whole of Western and Southern Europe. Its native land is the river valleys of the Northern Caucasus and Transcaucasia, overgrown with forests and reeds.
In addition to the nominative subspecies, there are other subspecies on the territory of the former USSR, for example, Phasianus colchicus persicus (y of the southeastern coast of the Caspian Sea), Phasianus colchicus principalis (in the Aral-Caspian lowland), Phasianus colchicus chrysomelas (ibid.) And others.
The North Caucasian pheasant (Phasianus colchicus septentrionalis) is listed in the “List of objects of the animal world is in need of special attention to their condition in the natural environment”.
Lifestyle
An ordinary pheasant lives in forests with an understory, or in thickets of a bush. It stays mainly near water, in thickets along river valleys and shores of lakes, in dense forest thickets, rich in curly and prickly bushes and interrupted by small forest clearings, or in bushes along the margins of fields. Scared, he rarely climbs trees, preferring to hide on the ground in the grass and in the bushes.
Its main food consists of seeds, small fruits, berries (in the Caucasus – sea-buckthorn and black cherry), shoots. Eats grain, insects, mollusks, worms.
Reproduction
It is interesting that in the wild state the ordinary pheasant lives in monogamy, in poludomashennom – in polygamy.
Sockets builds on the ground. The full masonry, to which the ordinary pheasant starts in the early spring, consists of a very large number (up to 20, usually 8-18) of brown single-colored eggs. Nasizhivanie lasts 22-28 days. Only the nurses and female leads the chicks; Males do not participate in breeding chicks
