Ringnecks are NOT the Only Kind of Pheasant!

Far too often when people hear the name pheasant, they think of the Ringneck pheasant. The Ringneck is considered primary a meat-gamebird , and for the most part is not considered ornamental.

Actually the Pheasant family consist of16 different genera ( families), 49 different species and many subspecies. The different families consist of:

1. Blood pheasants - 1 species; 11 subspecies
2. Tragopan’s
3. Koklass - 1 species; 9 subspecies
4. Monal’s - 3 species (Impeyan belong to this family)
5. Junglefowls - 4 species (wild ancestors of chickens!)
6. Eared - 3 species
7. Gollopheasants - 10 species
8. Cheer Pheasants - 1 species
9. Long-tailed Pheasants – 5 species
10. True pheasants - 2 species; over 30 subspecies (this is the family Ringnecks belong)
11. Ruffed Pheasants - 2 Species (Amherst and Golden’s Belong to these genera)
12. Peacock Pheasants - 7 species
13. Crested Argus - 1 species
14. Great Argus - 1 species
15. Peafowls - 2 species
16. Congo Peacock – 1 species ( the only pheasant Native to Africa)

There are also a few color mutations in the Red Golden’s such as the Yellow Golden, Cinnamon Golden…. The Indian Blue Peafowl also have mutations such as Pied, Black Shoulder , and White…. These are not true wild type birds, and would not be seen in there native lands with the wild form species. As you can see Pheasant’s are quite a diverse group. From the somewhat grouse like Tragopans to the Chicken like Junglefowl there is no wonder there interest in aviculture. Ringneck’s are actual 1species of 49 of this diverse group.

As a child I started with domestic fowl such as ducks and chickens. Later I advanced to these beautiful birds. Chickens are actually a domestic cousin of the pheasants! The jump from keeping and breeding chickens to pheasants is a logical one. Why don’t more chickens breeders try to keep these beautiful birds? I don’t understand. Pheasants can be quite hardy given the right conditions. SEE ARTICAL Most are extremely cold tolerant, and are some of the more common species are inexpensive. They can live many years ( presently we have a Impeyan male that is 15 years old).

There is various reason that I continue to keep and raise pheasants.

1. Many of the species are endangered and are threatened in there native habitat.
2. The challenge of raising a rare species that other breeders struggle with.
3. The many variations of colors, displays and characterizes of the different species.