The common pheasant was first discovered in the ancient Caucasus. Hence its second name - Caucasian pheasant. It is not known for certain how, but the bird was introduced to other countries, and today it can be found in many corners of the world. It was partially domesticated, and they also learned how to breed hybrid breeds by crossing representatives of different species and even genera of the Pheasant family.
origin of name
The name of the largest representatives of the Chicken order is associated with the Georgian Rioni River, which is more than 300 km long, on which several hydroelectric power stations are located today. The ancient Greeks called it Phasis. It was probably the discovery of these birds on the banks of this river that gave them their name.
According to another version, the pheasants were nicknamed after they were first seen in the vicinity of the city with the same name. In the 6th century, the Carians founded the colony of Phasis on the southern bank of the Phasis River, which was the easternmost city of the Pontus region and a trading center.
Species of the genus Pheasants
The division of the genus Pheasants into two species is highly controversial, since not all ornithologists agree that the common pheasant and the green pheasant are two separate species. Some of them believe that the latter is a subspecies of the former. The green pheasant is now found in Japan, North America and Hawaii, and is significantly smaller in size than the common pheasant.
Green pheasants are not found in the CIS countries, but common pheasants are common. They can also be seen in the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia, in the countries of Central Asia and the Far East. Some areas are home to one of more than 30 subspecies of common pheasant, while others are home to several.
Subspecies of common pheasant
Some of the more than 30 subspecies of the common pheasant were previously considered separate species of the Pheasant genus. However, a detailed study of the birds helped to find out that they all belong to common pheasants and differ mainly in color alone, with the differences being most pronounced in males. Pheasants that have more dramatic differences, such as long feathers on the ears or chest, belong to other genera of the Pheasant family.
The Transcaucasian pheasant has a green head, light brown wings, and a purple chest and neck. The North Caucasian, unlike the previous one, has a brown or brown spot on its belly. The Tajik pheasant is endowed with a black-green chest and a yellow-red upper body. One of the subspecies - the hunting pheasant - is the result of the creative introduction of humans. It was created by crossing the Transcaucasian and Chinese subspecies.
Short description
An overview of the common (Caucasian) pheasant includes a description of its dimensions and appearance. The body of this bird is very close in structure to the body of a chicken, from which the common pheasant differs in its very long tail. The colors of the males of its various species include green, purple, yellow, gold and other rich colors. The skin around their eyes is bright red without feathers. Females, according to bird custom, have a nondescript pockmarked color in brown, sand or gray tones.
The male common pheasant can reach a length of 90 cm, of which 50 is the length of the 18-feather striped tail, and the length of the female usually does not exceed 60 cm, half of which is the length of the tail. The maximum weight of one common pheasant can reach is 2 kg.
Lifestyle, reproduction
The common pheasant is capable of moving quite quickly on the ground, but taking flight is a very difficult task for the bird, which it rarely masters. This type of pheasant usually settles in thickets located near some water source. You can rarely find them in fields and forests. Males carefully guard their territory, sometimes even to the death.
During the hottest part of the day, birds take refuge in dense thickets, leaving morning and evening for food. They always spend the night there. Until spring, pheasants live in separate same-sex flocks. In flocks of males there can be hundreds of individuals, females form smaller flocks. In early spring, males separate from the flock, choose a female and, with hoarse and loud singing, attract the attention of the chosen one and competitors, notifying them that the place is occupied.
Pheasants make nests in grass, usually found in bushes. Males do not take any part in incubating the eggs. Throughout the month, the female takes care of both herself and her offspring. From one to two dozen chicks are usually born before the onset of summer. In the wild, the bird leads a monogamous life.
Nutritional Features
The diet of pheasants includes both plant and animal foods. With their powerful legs, they skillfully dig out various roots and seeds, as well as bugs and worms, in the ground. The pheasant menu may also include berries and shellfish. In the fall, pheasants gain weight, and in the winter they quickly lose it, since they have to expend enormous effort to obtain food. During the short winter day, they do not have time to get enough food so as not to use up their own fat reserves. Many individuals do not survive until spring.
All pheasants have many enemies. “Worm - pheasant - fox” - this is how the approximate food chain with the participation of these birds looks like. Common pheasant is eaten by foxes, coyotes, jackals, jays, magpies, crows, and birds of prey.
Breeding in captivity
Pheasant meat is more valuable than chicken meat, and they also lay eggs well. Farmers breed them in specially constructed cages, and people who do not have a farm usually make spacious enclosures. It is important to make sure that in the bird’s area of residence there are bushes or some kind of structure where it could hide itself, and where its timid offspring could take refuge.
To breed common pheasants, you must purchase fertilized eggs or chicks, or purchase or capture a male and female of the same species. After this, caring owners carefully study the subspecies of common pheasant they are dealing with in order to create optimal living conditions for it. No less carefully should you choose the daily diet for birds. Pheasant nutrition plays an important role in the birds' well-being and their ability to reproduce.
Pheasants absolutely love Colorado potato beetles, so with their help you can save planted potatoes without the use of pesticides. These birds are prone to stress, which can affect their health, ability to lay eggs and breed. They may become agitated due to sudden movements around, due to a change of owners or established regime.
Features of pheasant hunting
Not allowed everywhere. In the spring, catching or shooting them is prohibited everywhere. Usually hunting is done with a dog, often a spaniel. Having caught the bird's trail, the dog runs after it, and when the pheasant takes off, the hunter shoots. The dog searches for a dead or wounded bird in the bushes and carries it to its owner. Pheasant hunting is carried out only in the morning and evening parts of the day, when the bird leaves the secluded corner in which it lives.
Pheasant hunting is very popular in many parts of the world. Sports interest, as well as the excellent taste of meat, developed such a great interest in this activity. In ancient times, when the question arose about what would be served at the royal table: an ordinary pheasant or an ordinary chicken, the choice always fell on the former. It was served on a platter in full plumage.
Common pheasants are brightly colored, but they are not as beautiful as other members of the Pheasant family, such as the golden or long-eared pheasant. But this type is the fastest in running. For birds this is, of course, a big plus, but for hunters of their valuable meat it is, of course, a huge minus. Pheasants adapt well in captivity if the enclosure has sufficient space and secluded thickets or special buildings for privacy.
Spreading. In its range, the pheasant is a southern bird. As a terrestrial bird, foraging mainly from the ground and low vegetation, it cannot live in areas with long and deep snow cover. The North Caucasian pheasant leads a sedentary lifestyle, settling in Kabardino-Balkaria in places where there is nearby water and dense thickets that provide the bird with shelter and food. Such biotopes in our republic are found only in the floodplains of rivers in the steppe and forest-steppe zones. Here, the favorite habitats for North Caucasian pheasants are floodplain forests with highly developed bush thickets. However, due to the sharp reduction and deterioration of the condition of the floodplain forests of the republic, as well as due to the import from Czechoslovakia of a whole batch of the so-called “hunting pheasant” (Ph. colchicus), the existence of the local - North Caucasian - form of pheasant is threatened.
Number. The number of North Caucasian pheasants in our republic is subject to significant fluctuations from year to year due to various natural and anthropogenic reasons, including poaching. For example, the introduction into the republic of a larger and more aggressive Czechoslovakian pheasant (of hybrid origin), which displaced the North Caucasian pheasants from their characteristic biotopes and put the existence of the species at risk. In the 50-60s, in the valleys of the Malka, Urukh and Terek rivers there were an average of 140-150 individuals each (data from the State Hunting Inspectorate of the KBR), and now this species has become almost rare. For example, in the floodplain of the Malka River, we found only one pair of pheasants during the day in its characteristic habitats in the fall of 1986-1989.
Limiting factors. The attachment of the North Caucasian pheasant to local areas of the floodplain forest of the steppe and partially forest-steppe zones makes it strictly dependent on their condition. The impossibility of existing far from a water source, outside of heavily overgrown floodplain forests, if they are uprooted or burned out, leads to the complete disappearance of the bird. The efficiency of reproduction and the abundance of the species are influenced by various natural factors, especially cold, long, snowy winters, and cold rainy days in summer during the period of incubation and hatching of chicks. Apparently, one of the limiting factors should include the sometimes all too well-known “gullibility” of the pheasant - the ability to hide very tightly in dense thickets, etc.
Security measures. It is necessary to develop a scientifically based issuance of licenses for shooting this bird in the republic. Expand the network of reserves in the plain-foothill part of the republic with their subsequent release into characteristic habitats.
Sources. A.M. Khatukhov, D.M. Taisaev. Kabardino-Balkarian State University. 1993
In our nursery you can buy hunting pheasants, as well as get proper advice on the care and maintenance of birds. Prices in our nursery are quite low. Game birds available.
| Name | Qty | Paul M | Gender F | Age/ Status |
Price | Notes |
| White hunting pheasant | 4 | 3 | 1 | output 2014-2015 | 3000/goal | |
| Emerald hunting pheasant | 18. | 10 | 8 | output 2015. | 2000/goal |  |
| Hunting pheasant | 650 | 450 | 200 | 750-1500 rub. |
750 rub - wholesale from 200 heads 1000 rub - from 50 pcs 1500 rub/head - sold individually |
|
| Egg | Sale of eggs 15.04 - 01.08 | 30 -100 |
30 rubles wholesale from 500 pcs hunting pheasant 50 rubles - from 100 pcs hunting pheasant 60 RUR - Romanian green pheasant 100 rub white hunting pheasant |
Hunting pheasantPhasianuscolchicus
Range and numbers
The hunting pheasant is a sedentary bird and is widely distributed throughout much of temperate Asia. Due to its decorative and gastronomic qualities, it has been introduced almost throughout the world, including North America, Europe, Chile, Hawaii, Tasmania and New Zealand. A natural factor limiting the spread of the pheasant is the height of the snow cover above 20 cm, so all attempts to acclimatize the pheasant in central and northern Russia have been unsuccessful - in snowy winters, the hunting pheasant dies from lack of food, predators and humans.
The number of native subspecies everywhere experiences negative changes under the influence of hunting and displacement through crossing with hybrid artificially bred forms of hunting pheasant released into suitable habitats. The natural causes of sometimes sharp declines in numbers are short-term snowy winters (snow cover of more than 20 cm, lasting more than a week), but, as a rule, the pheasant population is restored very soon due to high reproduction rates.
The total number of pheasants in the world is estimated at approximately 45-300 million birds. The European population of this species numbers 3,400,000-4,700,000 breeding pairs. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) classifies the species as "Least Concern".
Biotopes
The hunting or common pheasant prefers to stay in various thorny and impassable shrubs (tugai thickets) and reed thickets of river valleys and agricultural landscapes. It also inhabits bushy river valleys in the mountains up to altitudes of 2600 m above sea level.
Description of the species
The body length of male common pheasants is 70-90 cm, of which approximately 45-60 cm is in the long pointed tail. In females, the body length is 55-70 cm, where the tail is much shorter (20-25 cm). Some subspecies are large. The weight of an adult rooster varies from 1.4 to 1.5 kg (according to other sources, up to 2 kg), and chickens weigh from 1.1 to 1.4 kg. Like most galliformes, the hunting pheasant is characterized by sexual dimorphism, expressed in body size and plumage color - males are larger and brighter than females.
Characteristic features of this type of pheasant are an unfeathered red ring around the eyes and a long wedge-shaped tail, consisting of 18 feathers tapering to the ends. The wings are short and rounded. Males have spurs on their legs and bright, shiny plumage. The color of the plumage varies among each subspecies. The females are feathered, as expected, in protective mottled sand and brown tones.
The color of the plumage of adult males and females of the nominative subspecies of the common pheasant is given in: Birds of the USSR. Galliformes, crane-like animals. L.: Nauka, 1987. – 528 p.
“The general coloring of the male is reddish-golden, light brown wings, green head with a metallic tint, the upper chest and front of the neck are purple, also with a metallic tint. The long golden-brown nape feathers have narrow green apical edges. The neck is violet-blue in color, with a greenish metallic sheen. The reddish-golden background of the upperparts (with a purple sheen on the lower back and upper wing coverts) has a complex pattern of black spots and a scaly pattern in the front of the back, as well as white with black edging lancet spots in the scapular region. All the feathers of the upper part of the body have wide reddish edges, which are either purple or golden. On the feathers of the loin and rump, these edges are very wide and form a continuous golden-red surface with a violet tint. The underparts are lighter, golden, with a thick scaly pattern of black semicircles on the chest and transverse black stripes and spots on the front of the belly and sides. Black-brown belly. The wing feathers are light brown in color, with a vague pattern of transverse whitish stripes. The shoulder and wing coverts are dark brown, with a white cross-striped pattern and wide yellowish-gray edges with narrow brown or purple (depending on the angle of view) borders. The tail feathers are yellowish-brown in color with narrow buffy-red or violet edges on the 3 central pairs and with a pattern of narrow transverse black stripes that do not reach the edge from the bottom of the central pair. On the outer pairs, these stripes are wider, with a brown streaky pattern. The legs and beak are yellowish, on the sides of the head there are areas of bare skin without feathers (Cheeks), which become bright red during the current period.
Adult female. The color is “pockmarked”, variegated. On the top of the body, on a sandy background, the centers of the feathers are located in the correct order - oval blackish-brown spots. On the head and neck, instead of spots, there are transverse stripes that are located close to each other, which is why the head and neck look darker with a faint purple sheen. The belly is light sand color with a faintly visible streaky pattern. The upper part of the chest and lower part of the neck have semicircular brown spots. On the gray-yellow sides of the body there is the same pattern of elongated oval brown spots. The flight feathers are the same color as those of males, but have a clearer transverse pattern of white stripes. The wing coverts are colored in the same way as on the back. The tail feathers have a clear transverse pattern of thin whitish stripes bordering them with wider black-brown stripes, which on the middle pair do not reach the edge - here there is a wide border of gray color with a thin brownish streak. The legs and beak are gray, bare spots on the sides of the head are insignificant.
The plumage features of other subspecies will be described below.
Nutrition
The diet of pheasants is largely determined by the abundance of one or another type of food, but mainly consists of plant foods (pheasants eat more than 160 species of plants). Only in the first four weeks of life, pheasant chicks mainly feed on insects, but then the share of animal food decreases significantly. The composition of plant foods, as a rule, includes berries and seeds (from small Rosaceae seeds to nuts and acorns) and other above-ground and underground parts of plants (bulbs, tubers and roots). The animal part of the food consists of insects, earthworms, snails, as well as young snakes and rodents. Like all chickens, common pheasants require gastroliths in the form of 1-5 mm pebbles for more successful digestion.
Common pheasants feed primarily on the ground, raking litter and soil with their paws and beaks. In order to collect berries from bushes, birds jump up or collect them while sitting on trees and bushes.
Reproductive biology
Pheasants stay in relatively large flocks (up to 150 individuals) throughout almost the entire season, excluding breeding. During the reproductive period, pheasants are distributed throughout the nesting territory in sparse family groups. The breeding season usually starts in March and ends in May-June.
The common pheasant is a territorial bird. Males patrol their territory with screams and other threatening actions along certain routes, and also periodically display, attracting females to their family group. Fights between the owner of the nesting site and outside males are frequent - fights are very similar to fights between domestic roosters - the owner of the nesting site usually wins. The size of an individual pheasant family territory ranges from 12 to 45 hectares and can vary greatly throughout the breeding season.
Despite the fact that the species is characterized by polygamy, not all males manage to have a harem (usually 2-3 hens), especially if the sex ratio in the breeding population is approximately 1:1. In this case, forced monogamy results. Although there is evidence that in the United States one male pheasant (hybrid hunting) was able to create and maintain a harem of 16 females throughout the breeding season.
Pheasants become sexually mature in their first year. And if young roosters are able to reproduce already in the first autumn, then the ovaries of chickens mature only in spring.
“The mating ritual of a male is not complicated (description according to Birds of the USSR. Galliformes, Crane-shaped animals. L.: Nauka, 1987. – 528 p.).
“The loud mating call is heard 400–600 m away and is a slightly burry, two-syllable, ringing sound “kkh.” . . cough cough." Simultaneously with these calls or immediately after them (subspecies obviously have differences in this behavior), there is a short, about 0.5 s series of active wing flapping, merging into a vibrating sound, like “prrrrr”.
The males work their wings so quickly that it is not possible to distinguish individual flaps, while the front part of the body of the current pheasant rises slightly, and the beating wings do not touch the ground. At the same moment of current, the tail rises by 45–50°, the tail feathers open, but not completely, slightly overlapping each other. Another sound element of the current is a soft “hooking” and a dull “goo-goo”. This sound means very strong excitement and usually the male makes it in close proximity to the chosen one. Inviting the female to copulate, the male performs a series of actions (pecking, loosening the ground, picking up a seed and throwing it), as if inviting the female to feed. Before copulation, the unfeathered areas of the skin on the head sharply swell and turn red, and the “ears” - tufts of feathers - stick out to the sides. After copulation, the male becomes ruffled, slightly raises one wing and lowers the other, opens his tail like a fan, turning both the tail and wings towards the female, the neck bends in an arc and swells strongly, and the head bends and almost touches the ground. In this position, the male slowly walks around the female in a semicircle and continuously hisses and produces a special noise with rapid vibrations of his wings.”
After successful courtship, the female independently builds a nest, lays eggs and incubates the clutch. It is noted that if all the hens incubate the eggs in the male’s nesting territory, the rooster loses interest in this area and does not protect it further. Only in rare cases has it been reported that males may be involved in raising the chicks. It is believed that the female has only one clutch per season, but if the first clutch is lost for some reason, a second one is possible, which explains the rather late August and even September broods of pheasants.
The nest is lined with small dry grass or leaves 12-27 cm in diameter and 2-12 cm deep. The nests are usually located on the ground and are well covered with thickets of grass and bushes. There are cases when clutches of pheasants were found in abandoned nests of pigeons, crows and birds of prey.
Pheasant eggs are laid once a day, sometimes with a two-day break. The earliest onset of egg laying in Central Europe is mid-March, with most clutches occurring between late April and early June. Incubation begins after the last egg is laid or after 1-2 days and lasts about 23 days. The female incubates completely independently, sits very firmly, and actively protects the clutch from small predators. By the end of incubation, it loses a lot of weight (up to 40%).
The young pheasants hatch amicably and remain in the nest for only a few hours to dry out before following their mother in search of food. The chicks become capable of flight at the age of 10-12 days, but for about 70-80 days they remain dependent on the female, who teaches them to search for food and defend themselves from enemies.
Mortality and reproductive success
In its native range in Central Asia, some of the main predators are the common jackal, fox and jungle cat, as well as wild cats, stray dogs, birds of prey, owls and corvids.
Reproduction success ranges from 15 to 58%. Several studies in Europe have shown high mortality of young pheasants - about 80% in the first year. The average lifespan of roosters after the first year is 9 months, for hens 14 months. The maximum age recorded in the wild is 7 years and 7 months.
Breeding in captivity
The status of the common pheasant in poultry farming is defined as one of the most common - millions of pheasants are bred in captivity every year. However, the vast majority of birds are hybrids (and are simply called hunting pheasant). Pure lines of the various subspecies of this pheasant are extremely rare among US breeders. And, on the contrary, in pheasant farms in Europe and Australia, it is the pure subspecies of the common pheasant that are more popular.
The breeding season is from February to June. Birds become sexually mature in the first year of life. Polygamy. The clutch size is 6-12 eggs, but egg laying can be stimulated if you remove the eggs from the nest in time. Females are quite capable of incubating eggs on their own. The incubation period is 23-26 days.
Pheasants require spacious enclosures, planted with shrubs and grass, which provide the birds with adequate cover (the birds will be less disturbed).
Shared keeping with other species (monals, tragopans) is possible in spacious enclosures, well planted with shrubs and herbaceous vegetation.
There are a number of colors and quality forms of pheasant bred in captivity. In particular, "jumbo" and "white" are bred in large quantities for restaurants. Melanists are frequently observed in wild populations in the UK. The "Green Mute" variety of pheasant is common in American collections.
Subspecies and varying characters
About 30 subspecies (united in 5 groups) around the world have been described of the common hunting pheasant, which differ mainly in the color of the plumage of the males, as well as in size and some biological features. In particular, 13 subspecies of hunting pheasant have been described on the territory of the former USSR:
1. Caucasian pheasant Phasianus colchicus colchicus- Southern Caucasus Pheasant
Description: Nominative subspecies - plumage color features are given in the description of the species.
Area: Transcaucasia of Eastern Georgia, northern Azerbaijan, southern Armenia and northwestern Iran.
2. North Caucasian pheasant Phasianus colchicus septentrionalis Lorenz, 1888 - Northern Caucasian Pheasant
Description: The pheasant is very similar to the Caucasian subspecies, but is clearly distinguished by its lighter color, more golden-orange, and the black spots on the back, crop and sides with a predominant green tint. The female is also somewhat paler than the female of the Caucasian subspecies.
Area: Northern Caucasus from Dagestan, north to the Volga delta (Russia).
3. Talysh pheasant Phasianus colchicus talischensis Lorenz, 1888 - Talisch Caucasian Pheasant
Description: The male Talysh pheasant, in contrast to the nominate subspecies, has narrower dark edges of the craw feathers, which taper in its upper part, and have a deep notch at the end of the shaft. The sides and crop of the body are without a purple or copper-red hue. The coloration of females is slightly darker than that of the nominate subspecies.
Area: South-eastern Transcaucasia and the Caspian lowland of Iran.
4. Persian pheasant Phasianus colchicus persicus Severtzov, 1875 - Persian Pheasant
Description: It is well distinguished from the Talysh subspecies by the upper wing coverts being whitish-gray with a distinct dun tint; interscapular area, crop, chest and flank feathers with a predominant golden tint. There is almost no green metallic sheen on the open part of the feathers of the front rump.
Area : Southwestern Transcaspian, southwestern Turkmenistan and northeastern Iran.
5. Murghab pheasant Phasianus colchicus principalis P. L. Sclater, 1885 - Prince of Wales's Pheasant
Description: The male of the Murghab subspecies of pheasant differs from the Persian pheasant in his almost pure white upper wing coverts. The color of the front part of the back is predominantly golden and has a well-developed scaly pattern created by dark feather edges up to 1.5 mm wide. The shoulder feathers do not have the variegated pattern characteristic of the Caucasian subspecies. The white collar is absent, but on some neck feathers there may be white spots in its place, hidden by overlapping plumage. The feathers of the middle of the chest have wide purplish-red (up to 3 mm) edges and differ relatively little in color from the rest of the plumage. Feathers on the sides of the chest with metallic purple or black rims with a greenish tint.
Area: Southern Turkmenistan, extreme northeast of Iran and northern Afghanistan.
6. Amudarya pheasantPhasianus colchicus zarudnyi Buturlin, 1904 - Zarundy" sPheasant
Description : Characterized by very variable coloration. The color of the back is lighter and brighter than that of the Murghab subspecies, but in some individuals it is indistinguishable and darker. Sometimes the black edges of the back are completely absent, and sometimes they are clearly visible, but do not merge with the dark terminal spot; These dark borders are usually absent on the shoulder feathers. The white collar is more developed than that of the Murghab subspecies; it is usually visible from the front in the form of two crescent-shaped stripes on the sides of the neck, sometimes hidden under the coverts and very rarely absent, as in the Murghab. The crimson color on the neck of many individuals is insignificant, and sometimes disappears completely. The crimson-red edges of the craw and breast feathers are on average narrower than those of other Turkmen subspecies - about 1.5 - 2 mm wide, sometimes up to 4 mm. They are clearly distinguishable in color from the adjacent part of the feather, which is light straw-golden in summer individuals and yellow or reddish-golden in winter individuals; these borders are lighter than those of the Murghab subspecies. All the described characteristics have many combinations. Some specimens have wide borders of the underparts of a crimson color, but narrow, almost imperceptible dark edges of the back feathers. The purplish-colored neck of birds can be either well-developed or with almost imperceptible scaling.
Area : Amu Darya Valley from the city of Kerki north to Dargan-Ata.
7. Tajik pheasant Phasianus colchicus bianchii Buturlin, 1904 Bianchi's Pheasant
Description: Males are distinguished by a black chest color with a greenish metallic tint created by wide edges of feathers, almost completely covering the dark golden middle part of the feathers. The red color is widespread on the sides of the body.
Area : Upper reaches of the Amu Darya, southern Uzbekistan. The southwestern part of Tajikistan and the extreme north of Afghanistan.
8. Khiva pheasant Phasianus colchicus chrysomelas Severtzov, 1875 - Khivan Pheasant
Description: : The adult male of the Khiva is very similar to the Tajik, but is well distinguished by the underdeveloped black or black-green color of the underside of the body, as a result of which the copper-red color predominates on the chest, while in the Tajik this color is only visible among the black and is not copper-red, but rather a dark golden hue. The upper body of the Khiva pheasant is an order of magnitude darker than that of the Tajik subspecies, not yellowish-orange, but bronze-red. In addition, the Khiva pheasant has very poorly developed or completely absent green color on the back of the back.
Area : The lower reaches of the Amu Darya in western Uzbekistan and up to northern Turkmenistan.
9. Zeravshan pheasantPhasianu colchicus zerafschanicus Tarnovski, 1893 - ZerafshanPheasant
Description: The color of the back of males is extremely variable. The black edges on the back feathers are absent or only slightly developed. There is a well-defined, but not wide white collar (up to 5 mm). The color of the throat is usually purplish-red, the chest has a predominant purple tint, and the loin is brownish-red. In general, it is similar in color to the Amu Darya subspecies.
Area: Southern Uzbekistan. Valleys of the Zeravshan and Kashka-Dar rivers
10. Syrdarya pheasant Phasianus colchicus turcestanicus Lorenz, 1896 Syr Daria Pheasant
Description: Adult birds are very similar to the Semirechensky subspecies. We can distinguish them from more southern subspecies by the predominance of a copper-red tone in the front part of the back and the presence of a developed white collar, which can be interrupted for a short distance in front.
Area: The Syr Darya Valley and the eastern shores (islands) of the Aral Sea.
11. Semirechensky pheasant Phasianus colchicus mongolicus Brandt, 1844 - Kirghiz Pheasant
Description: The adult male of the Semirechensky subspecies differs from the males of other subspecies in that the copper-red color predominates in the front part of the back. The wide, solid, pale collar (about 10 mm) is sometimes torn in front. The back, shoulders, chest and front of the belly have a green metallic tint. Breast feathers without apical edges.
Area: The southeastern parts of Kazakhstan east of the Kyrgyz ridge and, perhaps, to Alakul (Semirechye). Northern Tien Shan (northern Kyrgyzstan).
12. Manchurian pheasantPhasianus colchicus pallasi ROthsWithh. ManchurianRing- neckedPheasant
Description : The main differences in the color of the male are that the lower back and upper tail coverts are matte gray, bluish or greenish without any admixture of copper-red, yellow or red tones. The lesser and medium-sized wing coverts are also bluish-gray or with a slight olive tint. The white collar is well developed.
Area : South-Eastern Siberia. Ussuri basin and South Ussuri region.
13. Georgian pheasant Phasianus colchicus lorensi Buturlin, 1904 Common Pheasant (lorenzi)
Description: Males with a characteristic chocolate-matte or reddish-brown center of the belly, bordered in front by shiny adjacent feathers of the chest and sides.
Some researchers are not recognized as a subspecies and are combined with the nominative subspecies - Caucasian pheasant Phasianus colchicus colchicus - Southern Caucasus Pheasant.
Such beautiful birds as hunting pheasants can become the pearl of a poultry yard or personal plot, and we should not forget about the dietary properties of pheasant meat.
It’s easy to buy a pheasant for keeping, but first you need to prepare decent enclosures for these birds. We told you how to build an enclosure for hunting pheasants. Feeding and keeping birds will not cause you any difficulties, as we are always ready to help you.
It is in the Sirmaticus zoo nursery that purchasing pheasants for any purpose will be as comfortable as possible for you. You can get acquainted with the range of breeds of hunting pheasants and their costs.
We also offer to buy hunting pheasant eggs of various breeds for subsequent incubation.
Ilnitskaya Svetlana
OOD within the framework of the regional component “Acquaintance with ornamental birds. North Caucasian pheasant"
Getting to know ornamental birds(North Caucasian pheasant)
Abstract of OOD in the educational field
"Cognitive Development".
The child and the world around him.
Middle group
Program content:
Etc. soda: give children an idea of ornamental birds. Show content features ornamental birds. Develop a desire to observe and care for living objects.
OOD progress:
Educator: Guys, I received an email today.
The evil Baba Yaga cast a spell birds, I decided to turn to you guys for help, because you are true friends - birds" And the voice birds. Phonogram.
A pheasant is proud of himself.
Just a rainbow - no bird!
He is terribly happy to have guests -
Shows off the outfit.
Educator: Who was I reading the poem about now?
Shows bird in the picture.
The teacher's story about pheasants.
Pheasant- it's incredibly beautiful bird, which is very loved by hunters. Today there are more than 30 species pheasants. In our country there are only two types of such birds are the Caucasian pheasant and the common.
In this article we will consider in detail the description North Caucasian pheasant, since we live in the Caucasus.
Description of the breed
From the name of the breed it becomes clear that bird lives in the lands of the Caucasus. For such pheasant There is constant hunting because it has a charming appearance and meat that is of high quality and also very tasty.
How they feed and reproduce birds?
Pheasants They practically do not fly, and most of the time they are on the ground in dense grasses, reeds, forest edges, and so on. They fly only when necessary, for example, a predator attacks or they want to climb a tree for roosting or feeding.
Basic food pheasant consists of berries, seeds, greens, roots, roots, small insects and small aquatic inhabitants. Pheasants They always try to position themselves close to a body of water. Caucasian inhabitants are very fond of sea buckthorn berries. Though pheasants and do not fly particularly well, but they are excellent runners and in this indicator surpass any representative of the gallinaceous order. Pheasant The Caucasian stays together in small groups. nesting pheasants are also on the ground. I told you about pheasants, but we forgot that his friends need help.
Educator: Let's help free all his friends?
But first we need to guess his singing friends (phonogram of singing birds) .
Without birds we can't live. Birds help people preserve their crops and destroy harmful insects.
Educator: Guys, well, let’s help break the spell birds(Yes)
(As soon as the bird is guessed, the teacher shows birds on the blackboard).
(crow, wood grouse, cuckoo, duck, chicken, nightingale, owl).
Educator: What great fellows we are! Everyone the birds were named, but before everyone else birds release we need to complete several tasks.
Envelopes with tasks.
Task No. 1
Educator: tell me, huh birds are they different from each other or are they all the same?
Children: Of course they are different.
Educator: Yes, on earth birds there are a lot and they are all different. There are very large ones - the size of a person. What is the name of the largest bird?
Children: ostrich.
Educator: And there are very small birds, the size of a butterfly. What is the name of the smallest bird?
Children: hummingbird.
Educator: Tell me, please, about which one? birds say that she is man's friend.
Children: Stork.
Educator: Guys, that's it birds can fly?
Children: no, ostriches and penguins do not fly.
Educator: Correct, but the ostrich runs fast, and the penguin swims well. With what birds eat?
Children: insects, grains, plant seeds, nectar. Some birds feed on fish or small animals.
Educator: Well done guys, now let's play a little. Let's turn into birds.
Physical education minute. "Birds"
Birds jump, fly,
The birds sing merrily
Birds collect crumbs
The birds are pecking the grains.
Feathers cleaned
And they sat down.
Task No. 2
« A bird is not a bird»
The children’s task is to listen carefully and, if a word is heard that means not bird, submit signal: - clap your hands. Be sure to ask what is wrong.
Arrived birds
Pigeons, tits
Flies and swifts...
(children clap)
Children: Flies are not birds, and insects.
Arrived birds
Pigeons, martens...
(children clap)
Children: The marten is an animal.
Arrived birds
Pigeons, tits
Lapwings, siskins
Jackdaws and swifts
Mosquitoes, cuckoos...
(children clap)
Children: Mosquitoes are insects.
Arrived birds
Pigeons, tits
Lapwings, siskins
Jackdaws and swifts
Mosquitoes, cuckoos
Even Scops Owls
Swans and ducks –
And thanks for the joke!
Task No. 3
Speech game. “Continue the sentence, find the reason”.
The teacher reads the sentences, the children finish them.
in spring birds build nests, because (they are going to hatch chicks).
Many died in winter birds, because…. (it was a cold winter).
Autumn is the first to fly south birds, which feed on insects because... (cold weather is coming)
Waterfowl are the last to fly away in autumn birds, because (severe frost sets in and the water begins to freeze)
A parrot could not live in our forests because (this is tropical bird)
Bird the albatross is listed in the Red Book because (rare bird)
All people love to listen to the nightingale because (Sings beautifully)
Educator: Guys, now I suggest you play V: "Outdoor game" "Sparrow".
Leading: Who is sitting here on the chimney, warming his feet?
Children. This is a gray sparrow, I'm a little cold.
Leading. I sprinkle grains and crumbs for the sparrows.
Children. I would fly to you, friends, but I'm afraid of cats. (Children run in a circle, waving their arms.)
Cat. Meow! (Children sit down and make a house)
Educator: Guys for your efforts and responsiveness, I hope you learned a lot about birds, pheasants.
Reflection.
You guys are all great. About which we talked about the birds?
What games did you play? What did you like? What tasks did you and I perform?
(Children's answers).
At lunch before bed we will read a story about gold pheasants.
"Gold Pheasant»
In the Far East, in a distant country, lives a beautiful bird. And although she is often compared to the Proud Peacock, they have nothing in common.
Seeing this bird in the forest, Danila was surprised and delighted - she was so beautiful and graceful. Bright sides and golden hairstyle of this birds was so amazing that it was simply impossible not to admire her. Meet Golden pheasant - great luck and who saw this beautiful bird fate smiles widely.
In a distant forest on the bank of a fast river lived a forest pheasant. His motley hen led a brood of little ones pheasants, and handsome pheasant, climbing onto the hills near the river, he looked out for danger and with all his appearance showed that there was no one here except him.
The young hunter saw pheasant, as if he was deliberately standing at gunshot distance and not even trying to hide in the grass, pulled the bowstring and took aim.
The pheasant did not move, he knew that while the hunter was constantly looking at him, his children and the chicken would go deep into the thicket of the forest, where no hunter could find them.
The bowstring whistled and a sharp arrow flew straight into the chest of the brave woman. birds.
The spirit of the forest, watching all the hunters and animals, was so delighted with the courage pheasant who, turning into a swaying branch, shot down an arrow that would bring death to his father pheasant, and for his courage he made him and all his children so beautiful birds that not a single hunter dared to shoot an arrow at them.
This is how strange things appeared in the Far East. birds not afraid of people and shining with a golden hairstyle given to them by the spirit of the forest.
Unlike most European countries, where wild species of pheasants do not live, two subspecies of the common pheasant live on the territory of the Russian Federation - the North Caucasian (Phasianus colchicus septentrionalis Lorenz, 1883) and the Manchurian (P. pallasi Rotschild, 1903). In total, taxonomists distinguish up to 42 subspecies of common pheasant on the Asian continent.
The North Caucasian subspecies inhabits the northern Ciscaucasia from the Black to the Caspian Sea. Along the Caspian coast to the south, the range extends almost to the Absheron Peninsula, and to the north to the Volga and Ural deltas (in the latter it has long been exterminated). On the Black Sea coast it was previously found in the Kuban delta and is preserved in places in the basin of this river, as well as the Terek. This subspecies is artificially distributed throughout almost the entire territory of the Southern Federal District.
The question of a reliable description of the phenotype of the North Caucasian pheasant deserves close attention. Given the pronounced sexual dimorphism of pheasants, most researchers focus on describing males, since it is very difficult to clearly identify the special characteristics of females of different subspecies. The main feature by which male North Caucasian pheasants can be distinguished from males of related subspecies is considered to be the absence of a white collar on the throat. When selecting parent stock in nurseries for breeding North Caucasian pheasants, it has become a practice not to allow males with a collar or its traces in the form of separate white spots to breed. It is important to determine how reliable the selection for this trait is.
The vast majority of authors describing the phenotype of the North Caucasian pheasant either do not mention the presence of a collar or directly indicate its absence. The earliest descriptions available to us date back to 1915 and belong to Tomkiewicz, as well as Deglan and Gerbe. Thus, Tomkevich, when describing the North Caucasian pheasant, calls it a subspecies of the Caucasian pheasant and directly points out that the latter does not have a white collar. The author considers variants of the phenotype with a more or less clearly defined white ring on the neck to be crosses. Deglan and Gerbe, although they do not directly mention the North Caucasian subspecies, do not mention the presence of a white collar in the description of the Caucasian pheasant. They classify individuals with a collar as “random varieties.”
A later description, made in 1935, belongs to Buturlin and Dementyev. The authors also classify the North Caucasian pheasant as a subspecies of the Caucasian pheasant and also do not mention the presence of a white collar.
Shatas introduces some dissonance into the established description of the North Caucasian pheasant in his, considered classic, work “Pheasant of the Volga Delta and factors determining the dynamics of its population.” Despite the fact that the work was published in 1963, the materials presented date back to 1938 - 1940. Here is how the author describes the features of the phenotype of the North Caucasian pheasant: “In the Volga delta pheasant, elements of the white throat patch are present in the form of separate white marks on different parts of the web of green feathers of the back and lower part of the neck at the border with the golden-orange feathers of the neck. Often located closer to the shaft and in the middle sections of the feather, the marks are revealed only when moving apart the feathers in this area. Much less often they are located on the upper base of one or two feathers, and then the rudiments of the collar are clearly visible at first glance. Of the 50 males caught in the delta, elements of the throat patch were noted in 82% of cases. The remaining males were in the molting stage, so we can assume the existence of a rudiment of a white collar in all males. Young males after the autumn molt, wearing the first outfit of a sexually mature male, also have the rudiments of a collar.”
Thus, in various publications dating back to the first half of the twentieth century there is no unambiguous description of the North Caucasian pheasant. It is interesting that in subsequent sources, for example, “Birds of the USSR” in 1987, the presence of a collar is not mentioned.
It should be noted that collars of varying degrees of severity, according to descriptions, are also found in Murghab (P. s. principalis Sclater, 1885), Amu Darya (P. s. zarudniy Buturlin, 1904), Zerafshan (P. s. zerafschanicus Tarnovski, 1892) , Syrdarya (P. c. turcestanicus Lorenz, 1896), Semirechensk (P. c. mongolicus Brandt, 1844) and Manchurian (P. c. pallasi Rotschild, 1903) subspecies of the common pheasant, while in the Murgab and sometimes in the Amu Darya the collar is hidden under the plumage.
From all that has been said above, it is clear that the description of the phenotype of the North Caucasian subspecies of the common pheasant by different authors differs significantly. And this would be a small problem for a narrow circle of ornithologists, if not for one circumstance. Of particular importance to this problem is the practice of breeding pheasants in captivity that has developed over the past few decades in order to increase the number of this subspecies and conduct hunting.
The first of the nurseries to begin mass breeding of North Caucasian pheasants was the Maikop pheasantry of Glavohota of the RSFSR, founded in 1959. Somewhat later, in the mid-60s, North Caucasian pheasant began to be bred at the Astrakhan state hunting farm. The formation of the initial livestock in the latter encountered certain difficulties - some of the pheasants were caught in the Astrakhan region, and some had to be imported from the Krasnodar Territory. According to unconfirmed data, the initial population of the Maikop pheasant farm was formed from hunting pheasant and was later replaced by North Caucasian pheasant. In the recent history of the Liman pheasant farm of the Federal State Institution "GOOKH" Astrakhan ", the formation of the parent herd of North Caucasian pheasant was carried out in 2002 - 2003, by capturing individuals in nature, in the lands of the Liman hunting area, and subsequently, in 2008, 10 males of the North Caucasian pheasant were brought from the Stavropol the edges. All males allowed to breed did not have a pronounced white collar. However, the offspring systematically produced on the farm had a split according to this trait - 25 - 30% of the males were decorated with a collar of varying degrees of severity - from a small white spot to a horseshoe-shaped stripe 4 - 5 mm wide.
The high efficiency of captive breeding of pheasants has made this practice extremely popular. However, in pursuit of profit, a number of unscrupulous hunting users of the Southern Federal District, in violation of the law, release the so-called hunting (hybrid) pheasant into hunting grounds, thereby threatening the existence of the North Caucasian subspecies of the common pheasant. Since the North Caucasian pheasant is capable of crossing with a hunting pheasant to form fertile offspring, such actions lead to contamination of the gene pool of the native subspecies and violation of the principles of sustainable environmental management. Chapter 8 of the Convention on Biological Diversity, which Russia ratified in 1995, specifies that each contracting party... prevents the introduction of alien species that threaten ecosystems, habitats or species... controls or destroys such alien species. The situation with releases of hunting pheasant within the historical range of the North Caucasian pheasant fits completely within this framework.
It should be noted that such violations have been occurring almost since the beginning of mass breeding of pheasants in the second half of the last century. Back in 1987, in the book “Birds of the USSR”, the authors noted: “Nothing threatens the existence of the pheasant as a species thanks to the practice of widespread breeding of the so-called hunting pheasant. At the same time, the fate of indigenous forms, including all those living in our country, is of great concern. The main reasons threatening their existence are the chemicalization of agriculture, uncontrolled hunting and absorption crossing with hunting pheasants, released by hunting farms in conditions of complete anarchy and lack of scientific control."
Since then, the problem of the introduction of hunting pheasants has become even more acute due to the destruction of a clear control system during the reform period. Releases of hunting pheasants in the North Caucasian range continue to be carried out at the present time with complete non-resistance from the regulatory authorities.
What makes hunting users break the law? In this case, there is a financial motive. The breeding of hunting pheasants has been well studied and put on stream, which allows game farms to sell it with a minimal margin, and hunting users to save money when organizing hunts. The issues of breeding the North Caucasian subspecies have been studied less well, breeding stock is more difficult to obtain, and there are few game farms specializing in this subspecies, which as a result affects the selling price.
The Astrakhan hunting farm has been breeding North Caucasian pheasants since the mid-60s of the last century. During this time, the farm released almost 9 thousand heads of pheasants to enrich the land, of which over 1.5 thousand in the last 3 years. The experience of the farm convincingly shows that the technology for breeding North Caucasian pheasant is not fundamentally different from that for hunting pheasant. Individuals caught in the wild already in the third generation reach the level of productivity characteristic of hunting pheasants and, with conscientious care, grow quickly and have good vitality. Special enclosures used for keeping wild birds caught in the wild can easily be modernized for the further rearing of already domesticated birds.
However, as mentioned above, the main methodological difficulty is the selection of individuals to form the parent stock. Currently, even when catching pheasants in their original habitats in the Volga delta, we cannot be sure that the caught bird does not carry extraneous genes of the hunting pheasant. Breeding and releasing birds whose origin is uncertain means exposing nature to unjustified risk.
It is obvious that in connection with the current difficult situation, government authorities must take decisive and urgent measures to preserve and restore the numbers and genetic purity of the North Caucasian subspecies of the common pheasant within its historical range. To do this you need:
The first is to strengthen control over hunting users who release pheasants into their lands, in order to prevent the release of hunting pheasants within the historical range of the North Caucasian subspecies. In the book “Artificial Breeding of Pheasants (Methodological Recommendations)” published in 1987, edited by Professor O.S. Gabuzov noted that “on the Caspian coast in the Astrakhan region and the Kalmyk Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, in the Stavropol and Krasnodar territories, in the Rostov and Volgograd regions, only North Caucasian pheasant should be bred and released.” We, for our part, believe that in all territories that make up the Southern Federal District, the release of hunting pheasants should be prohibited.
The second is to increase liability for violation of the law in this area, up to the introduction of criminal liability.
Third, initiate scientific research to determine the genetic status of the North Caucasian pheasant and develop a standard method for confirming the genetic purity of captive-bred birds
Fourth, to oblige owners of game farms for breeding North Caucasian pheasants to confirm the genetic purity of birds bred in captivity with special certificates, as well as to mark breeding birds with permanent rings, the numbers of which, along with copies of the certificates, must be transferred to local hunting authorities.
Fifth, oblige regional hunting authorities to conduct systematic inspections of game farms for breeding North Caucasian pheasants to ensure that there are no producers of unconfirmed origin there.
The most effective way to solve the problem would be to organize a state breeding nursery for breeding North Caucasian pheasants, which would provide game farm owners with breeding stock of guaranteed origin.
The distinctive features of the phenotype of the North Caucasian subspecies of the common pheasant do not allow one to reliably distinguish birds of this subspecies from other related subspecies of pheasants, including the hunting pheasant. This problem is aggravated by the fact that a number of unscrupulous game users release hunting pheasants within the historical range of the North Caucasian subspecies. State authorities must take a number of urgent steps to restore the numbers and genetic purity of the North Caucasian subspecies of the common pheasant within its historical range, including the organization of a state breeding nursery.
1.Artificial breeding of pheasants (methodological recommendations). Moscow, 1987
2. Birds of the USSR. Galliformes, crane-like animals. L.: Nauka, 1987.
3. Tomkevich N.F. Breeding pheasants. Petrograd, 1915.
4. Deglan S.D., Zherb Z. European ornithology or systematic description of birds studied in Europe. Petrograd, 1915.
5. Complete guide to birds of the USSR S.A. Buturlina and G.P. Dementieva. Volume two, KOIZ, 1935.
6. Shatas Ya.F. Pheasant of the Volga delta and factors determining the dynamics of its population. Proceedings of the Astrakhan Nature Reserve. Vol. VIII. 1963
Loading...
