True Pheasant Breeds

1pheas4

1pheas4

Moderator
Below I've attached a very nice website regarding true pheasant breeds. Take and fall in love!

These birds are some of the purest in the world. Some, purer than birds living in their native lands. This is due to people releasing other strains of pheasants, then they cross bred with native stains. Also (from what I understand) in some cases stains have crossed breed with each other.

If you don't mind, take a look and let me know what your favorite breed is. I know personally I gravitate toward the Bianchi (aka Afghan Whitewing) and the Zarundyi, and Strauchi (Sichuan) pheasants.:D

These pure birds are of a very small stock.:)

http://www.edelfocusgruppe.de.vu/ click on the "true pheasants" title at top of the websites page

If I may add....on the bottom is the Melanistic and White Ringneck Pheasant. These are "man made" breeds not native to any lands.
 
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My favorite didn't make the list. Western Kansanian Prairie Parrot is the scientific name. :)
 
cheesy said:
My favorite didn't make the list. Western Kansanian Prairie Parrot is the scientific name. :)
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lol.....well I suppose that's a cross between many of those on the website. AkA mut pheasant:D
 
-Wildcat- said:
Nice reference site 1pheas! However, I haven't met a ditch chicken yet that I didn't like! :D :thumbsup:
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Good point Wildcat:D

One of the reasons I'm asking people to pick which one they like is because I've noticed most like the lighter colored, ringed pheasants that I mount over red, darker ringed or ringless birds I mount.:confused:

I'm curious to see which pheasants people favor just for the fun of it.:)
 
It's so hard to choose just 1, its like looking at models and picking which one you want.:D My favorites would be the bianchi, strauch, and talish pheasants. I may narrow it down more later.:thumbsup:
 
I'm going to go with the Northern Green Pheasant or the Formosan. Kind of at both ends of the spectrum, but I can't decide more than those to, and they are all an amazing looking bird in their own respect.
 
The darker pheasants are good-looking birds, but I'm addicted to the "Last-Half-of-the- Season Sprinting Ringneck." Every one of those you outfox is a trophy.
 
Take a look at the Syr-Darya pheasant. Definitely not the prettiest bird on the list, but boy does he ever look like a formidable opponent! That bird exudes wildness to me.:thumbsup:
 
quail hound said:
Take a look at the Syr-Darya pheasant. Definitely not the prettiest bird on the list, but boy does he ever look like a formidable opponent! That bird exudes wildness to me.:thumbsup:
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Before I saw this site I would have thought that bird was a Mongolian. They look a lot alike.

I had no idea there were so many different species. Many don't have pics on this site. I'm curious to know what those look like:)

QH, I've emailed someone in regards to that habitat you talked about through PM. Still haven't heard back from him. I'll let you know what's going on when I do.
 
1pheas4 said:
Before I saw this site I would have thought that bird was a Mongolian. They look a lot alike.

I had no idea there were so many different species. Many don't have pics on this site. I'm curious to know what those look like:)



QUOTE=1pheas4;69439]Before I saw this site I would have thought that bird was a Mongolian. They look a lot alike.

I had no idea there were so many different species. Many don't have pics on this site. I'm curious to know what those look like:)


Great list.
Thank you 1pheas4 for this very important list of True pheasants. First of all there are only two species of True Pheasants on your list: 1. Phasianus colchicus (ringneck looking) and 2. Phasianus versicolor (Japanese Green).

Thirty subspecies of the P. colchicus (ringneck looking) and only four subspecies P. vericolor (Japanese Green). All of the ornithologists did not agree with these categorizations.

The Prince of Wales pheasant (P. c. principalis) is almost a twin or identical to the Bianchi's pheasant.

This is a good photo list because it provides a great frame of reference. Years ago before the internet you could be sold all kinds of pheasants, you didn't always know what you were getting.
I saw an AD for a Manchurian Melanistic pheasant, there is no such thing.

This list clears up a lot of confusion.

One important thing about this list is that all of our N. American wild reproducing ring-necked pheasant are an amalgamation of all of the true pheasants on this list.
I did some research on the origin of the west, mid west and southwest wild pheasant stock that was released 70 to 100 years ago. Those bird came from all over.
For example, the state of Kansas first started releasing pheasants in 1906 and their original pheasant stock came from England. This is important because the old English game keepers obtained their true pheasant stock from all over the globe. Remember the sun never set on the British empire years ago. A great deal of the English pheasant stock was made up of Mongolian (Kirghiz), Chinese ringneck, Common pheasant (P. c. colchicus) and small amount of Prince of Wales (a little White-Winged blood).

The wild north central Kansas rooster pheasant that I would flush at Ft. Riley, Kansas in 1969, had a strong Mongolian (Kirghiz) look, a purplish rump a thick ring and yellow/green eyes. A strong remnant of the old English Mongolian stock.
I know since that time more ringneck (blue backs ) have been released by shooting preserves and have crossed with the original released wild stock.

The pheasants in the western state came from stock southern China, all of the same specie of the Gray Rumps. So I don't understand why some mid west states did not want the Strauchi (Sichuan) pheasant added. This pheasant is basically the wild twin (same specie) of the Chinese ring-necked pheasant, the range in the natural wild world overlap, that's why on the photo list some of the Strauchi pheasants have a small ring. This bird would just reinforce the wary and alert genes that the wild pheasants need to get away from predators.
In addition, some of the California, Sacramento valley pheasant came from Mongolian (Kirghiz) ringneck stock also.
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PF just bought 2,500 ac in SE Idaho its at 4,800 ft elevation that's 1000 ft higher than the highest point in North Dakota which one of these Pheasants breeds would best make it though a bad winter?
 
Great post Preston1. Thank you for clarifying true pheasants/subspecies for us. Maybe you can weight in on the elevation/Idaho question.

Thinking about it though, #'s of most (if not all) birds on the list are very limited in the states and Europe. They just don't have the stock to release unless your looking at Manchurian cross and afghan whitewing/Bianchi.

The Bianchi's I've seen in good pen #'s do not look pure like the one's on the true pheasant website. Nevertheless they still have very wild traits for pen birds.

As you mentioned, the Midwestern states dropped a very good opportunity with the Staurchi/Sichuan pheasant. Now their #'s are very low too (in the U.S.) in captivity.:(
 
wesslpointer said:
PF just bought 2,500 ac in SE Idaho its at 4,800 ft elevation that's 1000 ft higher than the highest point in North Dakota which one of these Pheasants breeds would best make it though a bad winter?
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I am somewhat confused about this question. Why would PF buy 2,500 ac in S.E. Idaho.
Pocatello, Idaho's elevation (in S. E. Idaho) is 4,464 and you already have wild pheasants all around that area.
The wild pheasants that are there now are doing well, just maintain the habitat.

Now if I had to start off 100 years ago and there were no wild pheasants in that area. I would start off with these two subspecies: 1. I would first trap some 500 wild Mongolian ringneck pheasants (Kirghiz),and release them, they can take the very cold weather. My second choice would be 2. The Strauchi (Sichuan) pheasant because they can deal with the cold and heat and are found at elevations from ground level up to 10,000 feet, and he is a smart wild and alert bird.

With that being said I am sure that the wild ringneck pheasants around S. E. Idaho already have Mongolian (Kirghis) pheasant and Strauchi (Sichuan) genes.
 
Preston1 said:
I am somewhat confused about this question. Why would PF buy 2,500 ac in S.E. Idaho.
Pocatello, Idaho's elevation (in S. E. Idaho) is 4,464 and you already have wild pheasants all around that area.
The wild pheasants that are there now are doing well, just maintain the habitat.

Now if I had to start off 100 years ago and there were no wild pheasants in that area. I would start off with these two subspecies: 1. I would first trap some 500 wild Mongolian ringneck pheasants (Kirghiz),and release them, they can take the very cold weather. My second choice would be 2. The Strauchi (Sichuan) pheasant because they can deal with the cold and heat and are found at elevations from ground level up to 10,000 feet, and he is a smart wild and alert bird.

With that being said I am sure that the wild ringneck pheasants around S. E. Idaho already have Mongolian (Kirghis) pheasant and Strauchi (Sichuan) genes.
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Wouldint adding another strain give the area a boost. Right know it has a "sustainable population" Ive noticed the Pheasants in SW North Dakota are smaller different shape? than pheasants Ive seen farther east any Ideas Are they the white wings?
 
wesslpointer said:
Wouldint adding another strain give the area a boost. Right know it has a "sustainable population" Ive noticed the Pheasants in SW North Dakota are smaller different shape? than pheasants Ive seen farther east any Ideas Are they the white wings?
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Are you suggesting stocking pheasants?:eek: :confused:That's a bad word to PF.:D
 
wesslpointer said:
Wouldint adding another strain give the area a boost. Right know it has a "sustainable population" Ive noticed the Pheasants in SW North Dakota are smaller different shape? than pheasants Ive seen farther east any Ideas Are they the white wings?
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That's a good question. I guess that would depend on what strain and how the habitat is in that area. ??????? LOt's of variables that have been pounded on many threads on this forum. I don't see why it would hurt to try.:)
 
wesslpointer said:
Wouldint adding another strain give the area a boost. Right know it has a "sustainable population" Ive noticed the Pheasants in SW North Dakota are smaller different shape? than pheasants Ive seen farther east any Ideas Are they the white wings?
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Sometimes state wildlife officials play the "environmentally correct" and "politically correct" game. By that I mean they often keep somethings secret. For example. now days 2011, both Texas and New Mexico wildlife officials will seldom admit that 40 years ago they released thousands of White-Winged pheasants (Bianchi pheasant) those birds actually helped the wild pheasant population expand. Now days, in this political environment world its not cool to admit that you released a non-native bird. We all know that those releases were a good thing, the Bianchi is a wild subspecie of the ring-necked pheasant and the Strauchi (Sichuan) is also a wild subspecie of the ring-necked pheasant.

The reason I am bringing this up is because I vaguely remember reading an article years ago stating that North Dakota released Strauchi (Sichuan) pheasants in the S. W. part of N. Dakota.

If they did release the Sichuan in that area (which you may be seeing in the S. W. area) that is good for the wild pheasant population. The smaller the wild pheasant the smaller the target is for predators. The smaller pheasants are faster flyer and therefore greater escape from the many aerial predators.

The Strauchi pheasants have been released along with the ringnecks for over 50 years, it did not just start with the Michigan release. Michigan had the largest organized release.
The Stauchi pheasant will simply cross with the regular ringneck and produce and smaller more wary and alert ringneck pheasant. Since they naturally overlap in the natural wild world the most of the wild roosters will have a full ring.
 
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