Pheasant Description
The following article presents basic information on pheasants. If you have a particular interest in pheasant, then this informative article is required reading.
General Description
By Gustave J. Yaki
The Ring-necked Pheasant was introduced into North America for hunting purposes. Its original range was eastern Europe and Asia. From there, birds were introduced to Britain and other European countries. It is now established across southern Canada and the northern half of the USA. In Alberta, it is present in the grassland and southern parkland region, with outlier populations in the Grand Prairie and Peace River areas.
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Pheasants prefer shrubby grasslands which offers protection from both avian and mammalian predators, and shelter from winter winds in both urban and rural areas. In southern Alberta, they are most numerous in irrigated areas, such as near Brooks. They are easy to see to the south and east of Calgary, especially near canal banks. Within Calgary, look for them along the Bow River and the east end of Fish Creek Prov. Park. In winters with deep snow, their numbers drop drastically. Without being augmented by captive-bred releases, the population would likely soon disappear.
Their food during summer consists of insects and green plants. In winter, their diet includes waste grain, weed seeds and fruit of such locally-growing shrubs as rose, buckbrush and Climbing Nightshade.
Males are promiscuous. The female rears the young alone. She lays a clutch of 7-15 eggs in a nest normally on the ground hidden in a reedbed, long grass, hedgerow or woodland, but nest in trees on squirrel dreys have also been reported. Incubation takes 23-27 days. As with all the members of the family, the young find their own food, as soon as hatched and dry. They can fly at 12-14 days, and when half-grown, tend to roost in trees.
Sometimes it's tough to sort out all the details related to this subject, but I'm positive you'll have no trouble making sense of the information presented above on pheasants. Pheasant Hunting
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