What are Pheasants? Where are they found?

Pheasants are a group of domestic chicken-size, ground-dwelling birds found in the moist temperate forests and tropical forests of Asia (one of the species, called the Congo peafowl, occurs in Congo, Africa). There are 49 species of pheasants, including the Tragopans, Junglefowl, Peacocks and Peacock Pheasants. Pheasants have characteristically colourful and iridescent feathers. They are classified in the Family Phasianidae in Order Galliformes, Class Aves.

In India, the Pheasant species occur in the Himalayan mountains, from Jammu and Kashmir in the north to the North-Eastern states in the east. Some of the species are - the Western Tragopan, the Cheer Pheasant, the Kalij Pheasant, the Monal and the Eared Pheasant. Pheasant species such as the Red Junglefowl and the Blue Peafowl have a more widespread distribution in the Indian sub-continent. The Grey Junglefowl is found in the forests of southern India.






The Western Tragopan at Kufri Nature Park in Himachal Pradesh, India.