Bird Guide

Common Pheasant vs Green Pheasant

Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)

Common Pheasant

Phasianus colchicus

Large1.1 kgUrban

There are many colour forms of the male common pheasant, ranging in colour from nearly white to almost black in some melanistic examples. These are due to captive breeding and hybridisation between subspecies and with the green pheasant, reinforced by continual releases of stock from varying sources to the wild. For example, the "ring-necked pheasants" common in Europe, North America and Australia do not pertain to any specific taxon, they rather represent a stereotyped hybrid swarm. Body weight can range from 0.5 to 3 kg (1 to 7 lb), with males averaging 1.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Common Pheasant
Recorded by Sonothèque ADVL · Wings noise · Granville, Manche, Normandie, France · CC0
Photo: Romzig · CC0
Green Pheasant (Phasianus versicolor)

Green Pheasant

Phasianus versicolor

Large919 gUrban

The male (cock) southern green pheasant, P. v. versicolor, has dark green plumage on the breast, neck, mantle, and flanks. The male also has a bluish-purplish hood with clear ear tufts, red wattles, and a long, pale grey-banded tail. The female (hen) is smaller than the male, with a shorter tail, and has brownish-black colored plumage, with dark brown feathers fringed pale brown. The males of this subspecies have the darkest plumage, which is mainly green. The male Pacific green pheasant, P. v. tamensis, has lighter plumage than the nominate subspecies. Its feathers are more purple and blue.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: coniferconifer · CC BY 2.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Common Pheasant and Green Pheasant.