The common pheasant was first discovered on the territory of the ancient Caucasus. Hence its second name is the Caucasian pheasant. It is not known how, but the bird was imported to other countries, and today it can be found in many parts of the world. She was partially domesticated, and also learned to breed hybrid breeds, crossing representatives of different species and even genera of the Pheasant family.
origin of name
The name of the largest representatives of the Kurin detachment is associated with the Georgian river Rioni, with a length of more than 300 km, on which several hydropower plants are located today. The ancient Greeks nicknamed her Phasis. Probably, it was the discovery of these birds on the banks of this river that gave them such a name.
According to another version, pheasants were nicknamed after they first saw them in the vicinity of the city with the same name. In the VI century, the Carians founded the colony Fazis on the southern bank of the Phasis River, which was the easternmost city of the region of Pontus and a shopping center.
Species of the genus Pheasants
The division of the genus Pheasants into two species is very controversial, since not all ornithologists agree that the common pheasant and green pheasant are two separate species. Some of them believe that the latter is a subspecies of the former. Green pheasant today is found in Japan, North America and Hawaii, and in size it is much smaller than the common pheasant.
Green pheasants are not found on the territory of the CIS countries, but ordinary pheasants are common. They can also be seen in the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia, in the countries of Central Asia and the Far East. In some areas, one of more than 30 subspecies of the common pheasant lives, in others - several at once.
Subspecies of the common pheasant
Some of the more than 30 subspecies of the common pheasant were previously considered separate species of the genus Pheasants. However, a detailed study of the birds helped to find out that all of them belong to common pheasants and differ mainly in only one color, and the differences are most pronounced in males. Pheasants, which have more cardinal differences, such as long feathers on the ears or breast, belong to other genera of the Pheasant family.
The Transcaucasian pheasant has a green head, light brown wings, a purple chest and a neck. In the North Caucasus, in contrast to the previous one, a brown or brown spot is located on the belly. The Tajik pheasant is endowed with black-green breasts and a yellow-red upper body. One of the subspecies - the hunting pheasant - is the result of the creative introduction of man. It was created by crossing the Transcaucasian and Chinese subspecies.
Short description
A review of the common (Caucasian) pheasant includes a description of its size and appearance. The body of this bird is very close in structure to the body of a chicken, from which the common pheasant has a very long tail. In the colors of males of various species, there are green, purple, yellow, gold and other saturated colors. The skin around their eyes is bright red without feathers. Females, according to bird's custom, have a nondescript pockmarked color in brown, sand or gray tones.
The male of an ordinary pheasant can reach a length of 90 cm, of which 50 is the 18th striped tail, and the length of the female usually does not exceed 60 cm, half of which is the length of the tail. The maximum mark to which the weight of one ordinary pheasant can reach is 2 kg.
Lifestyle, reproduction
Ordinary pheasant is able to move quite quickly on the ground, but to make a flight is a very difficult task for a bird, which it can master extremely rarely. This species of pheasants usually settles in thickets located at some water source. Rarely can you meet them in the fields and forests. Males carefully guard their territory, sometimes even to death.
On the hottest part of the day, the birds take shelter in dense thickets, leaving morning and evening for meals. There they constantly spend the night. Until spring, pheasants live in separate same-sex flocks. In flocks of males, there can be hundreds of individuals, females form smaller flocks. In early spring, males separate from the pack, choose a female and hoarse and loud singing attract attention of the chosen ones and competitors, notifying them that the place is taken.
A nest for masonry pheasants is arranged in the grass, usually located in the bush. Males do not take any part in hatching eggs. All month, the female herself takes care of herself and her offspring. From one to two dozen chicks are born, usually before the onset of summer. In the wild, the bird leads a monogamous life.
Power Features
The diet of pheasants includes both plant and animal food. With their powerful legs, they skillfully dig various roots and seeds, as well as bugs and worms, in the ground. The pheasant menu may also include berries and shellfish. In the autumn, pheasants gain weight, and in winter they quickly lose weight, as they have to spend tremendous efforts to get food. During a short winter day, they do not have time to get so much food, so as not to use up their own fat reserves. Many individuals do not survive until spring.
All pheasants have many enemies. “A worm - a pheasant - a fox" - this is what an approximate food chain looks like with the participation of these birds. The common pheasant is eaten by foxes, coyotes, jackals, hawks, goshaws, jays, magpies, crows, and birds of prey.
Captive breeding
Pheasant meat is valued more than chicken, and they also have good eggs. Farmers breed them in specially constructed cages, and people who do not have a farm, usually make spacious enclosures. It is important to make sure that there are bushes or some structures on the territory where the bird resides, where it could hide itself, and where its fearful offspring could hide.
For breeding common pheasants, it is necessary to buy fertilized eggs or chickens or to acquire or catch a male and a female of the same species. After that, caring owners carefully study the subspecies of the common pheasant, which they deal with in order to create optimal living conditions for it. A daily diet should be chosen just as carefully for birds. Pheasant nutrition plays an important role in the well-being of birds and their ability to breed.
Pheasants are madly in love with Colorado beetles, so with their help you can save planted potatoes without the use of pesticides. These birds are prone to stress, which can affect their health, ability to lay eggs and breed. They can get excited because of sudden movements around, because of a change of owners or the established regime.
