Common Pheasant

The Common Pheasant exhibits strong sexual dimorphism. The male (or cock) with its long tail and colourful plumage is a bird that stands out and is thus well-known to the general public. This species presents numerous subspecies, with characteristic plumage variants for each one, for example with or without a white collar. The body is composed entirely of warm hues ranging from russet beige to dark brown, including some mottled golden tones with a lovely effect. On the ground, the overall look is brownish-red. Many of the covering feathers are fringed or terminated in light shades on the upper part, dark brown or black on the flanks and underneath, which breaks up the uniformity of the plumage. The head is noteworthy. It is blue or green depending on the light, with shiny highlights, and is often underlined by a white collar. Around the golden eye, there is a patch of bare skin in a vivid red which enlarges with age. Tufts of dark green feathers stand up towards the back above the earzone, forming little ears. The cap is pale. The strong and slightly hooked bill is horn-coloured. The tail, with its long and staggered rectrices in beige with brown stripes, gives the bird its characteristic silhouette. The female (or hen) is smaller, with a relatively shorter tail and a cryptic plumage, in beige tones with darker markings, which perfectly camouflages it. The yellow eye is surrounded by a small reddish patch, reminiscent of the cock's caruncle, underlined by a whitish area. The upper part of the beak is brownish. The juvenile resembles the female but can be distinguished at first by its size and then by its relatively shorter tail.