Phasianus colchicus ( The Pheasant )

                                                                        The Pheasant.

The shooting season is well under way now with some shoots now shooting in the main blocks of woodland as well as the drives around the game cover crops and on the stubble's. The main quarry on all shoots is the Pheasant the biggest of our Game birds.
Although the Pheasant has been around for hundreds of years and most people would think is is a native species it was in fact introduced to this country by the Romans when they invaded our shores. It was brought over as a food source for the Roman Armies as was the Dormouse. According to legend the first record of an introduction into Europe relates to the story of Jason and the Argonauts who, in their search for the Golden Fleece entered into the valley of the river Phasis in the Colchis region of Georgia, east of the Black Sea coast - hence the Pheasant's name Phasianus colchicus.
The pheasant is one of our most easily recognised birds seen in the countryside, the cock pheasant in his multi-coloured plumage stands out where ever he's seen be it on a gate post or in a field of stubble he stands out for all to see. The pheasant is a ground feeding bird and roosts at night in trees. The males are polygamous and are often seen with a harem of several females during the breeding season. They nest on the ground, producing a clutch of eggs of eight to ten over a two - three week period from April through to June. It is not unknown however for nests to be found with many more eggs in than this, as the hen birds often forget where their nest is and you can find that more than one bird is using the same nest, the incubation period is about 23 - 26 days.
 Since it's introduction many new strains have been developed. This is because keepers and shoot owners try to present the guns with a sporting bird so faster, higher flying birds have been developed this of course has seen smaller and lighter strains with types like the Kansas, Michigan Blue Backs and the strain from Poland the Bazanty. Some of these bird strains have also been developed for their tendency not to stray, a big problem with some.
The Pheasants that we all know and recognise are those mentioned above but there are many other types of pheasant that are to be found and most of these you might see in Zoos and Private collections, there are others that can only be seen in the wild, here are a few photos of some of them.

The Golden Pheasant.

The Reeves Pheasant.

The Lady Amherst.

The pheasant has been responsible for the way our lowland landscape looks today, many of our woodlands were designed to accommodate this birds requirement and to make the sporting features on many big estates the success that they are. The shooting industry generates about £1.6 billion to the UK economy a year has created thousands of jobs and the pheasant makes up approx' 80% of the gamebirds shot, it offers a lean, tasty free range food source, what else can you say about this bird.

The above birds are the ones you are most likely to see when out walking in your local woodlands and hanging up at your local butcher/Gamedealer.