Pheasant (52–90cm, 20–35in)

"The Pheasant is a gamebird which can be easily identified by its long tail and can be commonly found across Britain, western and northern regions of Europe. Pheasants inhabit various types of environments such as woodlands, farmlands, marshes, and even reedbeds. In rural areas, it is often observed that they serenely wander across gardens, particularly during early morning or late evening.

The Pheasants were initially introduced from Asia into several parts of Europe about 2000 years ago, and have been residing in northern Europe for over two centuries. For shooting purposes, many thousands of Pheasants are raised on estates all over Britain. Interbreeding has led to a variety of colour forms among Pheasants, with the melanistic form being particularly appealing. In this form, the male’s entire plumage, except for wings and tail, is strikingly blackish with a strong greenish gloss on the upperpart and blue-purple gloss on the lower part. The melanistic females also appear rufous-brown but in a much darker shade."

Female Pheasants exhibit significant variation, but their fundamental feather arrangements remain consistent regardless of coloration. They consistently display reduced body size and tail length when compared to their male counterparts.

Male pheasants exhibit varying physical traits, however, the prevalent avian specimens are those featuring identifiable white neck bands as depicted in the accompanying illustration.

Upon emerging from their cover, Pheasants are known to produce a significant amount of commotion, as they crash and clatter through the undergrowth while emitting their unique rapid-fire call of 'kutuk, kutuk, kutuk'. Their flight trajectory typically follows a brief and close-to-the-ground path, characterized by swift flaps and extended glides.

"The female specimen displays a brownish crown and nape adorned with delicate black bars. Its face is of a buffy-brown hue and features a dark mask that distinguishes it from the light-colored, semi-neck collar. Its mantle, rump, and wings exhibit varied blackish markings on a fawn base color, while its uppertail showcases multiple widely-spaced black bars. The underparts appear pale buff, with dark markings present on the flanks and undertail.”

This avian male displays a prominently colored bottle-green head along with distinctive "ear tufts" and a noticeable patch of red facial skin. It is notably without the presence of a white neck collar. The mantle showcases a rich orange-red hue, with variations of spots and blotches in cream, black and white. The rump is of greyish-brown tone, whilst the long, pointed tail exhibits a warm brown coloration featuring outer feathers tinted with a copper tone. Thin and broadly spaced bars are present on the central feathers extending up to the tip.