Do Pheasants Fly? What You Need To Know About Your Feathered Friends

A common pheasant can be found living in small flocks or alone.

A mother hen and her brood will usually stay together until the beginning of autumn. Pheasants can fly short distances but prefer to run.

However, if they are frightened, they will 'flush' into the air. When cruising, they can reach speeds of up to 48 mph (77 kph), but when pursued, they can reach speeds of up to 60 mph (96 kph).

Pheasants spend practically their whole lives on the ground, with only a few exceptions. Insects, seeds, and leaves are just a few of the items they consume.

During the spring mating season, roosters often have a harem of many females. In the months of April and June, hen pheasants lay a clutch of roughly 10-12 pheasant eggs on the ground.

The incubation phase for pheasant eggs lasts for around 23-25 days after which pheasant chicks are born. The wing feathers of pheasant chicks develop before other feathers at the age of around 12 days.

Pheasants come in 50 different varieties and are primarily found in Asia living in their natural habitat.

The common pheasant is the most widespread member of the species which is found all over the world and is counted amongst the most common game birds on the planet. Pheasants of various species, such as the golden pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus), are popular in aviaries.

Grasslands, idle fields, marshes, crop lands, hay lands, and shrub lands are part of the pheasant habitat mix.

In the wild, a pheasant can live for one to three years, and in captivity, it can live for 10-15 years or more.

Pheasants have pronounced sexual dimorphism, with males sporting brilliant colors and adornments like wattles.

An adult male common pheasant measures between 24–35 in (60–90 cm) long, with a long tail that is black in color and has brown streaks accounting for over 20 in (50 cm) of its length.

In comparison, adult female pheasants are significantly less striking, with a duller mottled brown plumage all over the body and a tail that is roughly 8 in (20 cm) in length.

Pheasants are active at all times of the day.

They are omnivores who eat a variety of foods according to the season.

Pheasants are gregarious birds that live in flocks. They congregate in huge groups in locations with food and cover in the autumn. In the winter, the core home range is typically smaller than in the nesting season.

Up to 50 pheasants may be found in a flock established over the winter. They don't migrate much and tend to stay put. They survive winters by burning 25% more energy than usual.

Have you ever seen a pheasant fly? How high can pheasants fly? Can all species of pheasants fly?  There are many fun facts about pheasants which you should know. Read on to know some amazing facts about pheasants.

Comparison To Similar Species

Pheasants belong to the family Phasianidae and share several similarities with birds from the same family such as grouse, quail, and partridges. Most of them can be found living in agricultural areas with a brushy cover.

These birds are spread over a wide geographical region and have successfully adapted to their habitats. As a result, while the overall body structure of these birds might be similar, their color, appearance, and characteristics are quite different.

These birds are not known for flying and are also popularly hunted as game birds in various regions across the world.

Species In This Family

Some of the most well-known species from the same family are listed below.

Common (ring-necked) pheasant: Common pheasants, also known as ring-necked pheasants, are the most common pheasants in North America, as their name implies. Male common pheasants have vivid blue/green heads and white necked rings, while females are usually plain brown. Males can also be all-white or all-black at times.

Golden pheasant: One of nature's most magnificent exhibitions of art is the male golden pheasant. Their feathers are a vibrant mix of yellow, red, black, and green. These birds are named Chinese pheasants because they are native to the forests of western and central China's mountain areas.

The 'ruffles' on golden pheasants are also distinctive. They are one of only two pheasant breeds with this characteristic, which flares across their faces and necks during mating rituals. Female golden pheasants, like other pheasant breeds, are less colorful, having a light brown face, brown plumage, and a smaller physique.

Silver pheasant: Silver pheasants are one of the most popular pheasant species in southeast Asia (Burma, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand) and southern and eastern China. They can also be found on the mainland of the United States and on the Hawaiian islands. These pheasants are slightly heavier than regular pheasants, making them more resistant to harsh weather.

The coloring of males of this species vary by subspecies, although they all have a lot of white and black feathers, as well as bluish-black feathers underneath and red wattles. Females have shorter tail feathers and a red accent around their eyes, and they are all brownish-black.

Reeves’s pheasant: Although the Reeves's pheasant is native to central and eastern China, it has been brought to the United States, the Czech Republic, France, and the United Kingdom. This pheasant's long tail is its most distinguishing feature. The tail and the bird are roughly 6.5 ft (2 m) long together, making it one of the world's longest tails.

In comparison to other pheasant breeds, male and female Reeves's pheasants appear to be more alike. The male has a whitish-black head and brilliant golden, black, and brown-patterned feathers.

Pheasant Feathers

Pheasants come in almost 50 different species, practically all of which are found in Asia. One of the most fascinating aspects of these enormous birds is that their males produce at least four different types of intriguing feathers.

Feathers of half of the males and females have completely different colors and patterns. There are over 300 different types of feathers to deal with!

There reasons why these birds' feathers are so important. Males employ the size, pattern, form, shape, and color of their feathers to attract females. Also, because pheasants are enormous, their feathers are large and prominent.

Pheasants' Flight Vs Flight Of Other Birds

Pheasants can fly; however, they usually do short, explosive, and fast flights as a last-ditch attempt to flee from threats and danger.

They prefer to flee on the ground the majority of the time when confronted with danger. During the day, many pheasant species forage on the ground, but at night, they fly and roost in trees to avoid predators.

Pheasants can only fly for around 1 mi (2 km) at a time. This is due to their explosive flight, which requires a lot of energy and cannot be sustained for long periods of time.

When it comes to flying, they simply don't have the same stamina as other birds. Pheasants will benefit from strong winds, which will allow them to fly for extended periods of time.

As per records, a pheasant's longest flight was 4 mi (6.5 km).

They are unable to fly for long durations like other birds as the pheasants use up a lot of energy in a short burst of speed which they're unable to retain for extended durations as compared to other birds that can maintain a steady speed for extended durations.

Wild Vs Domestic Pheasant Flight

In-flight, a wild pheasant's average cruising speed is between 38-48 mph (61-77 kph). They can achieve high speeds of 60 mph (96 kph) in flight while being pursued. This is far faster than their running speeds of 8-10 mph (13-16 kph).

They can also swim.

Pheasants don't fly at high altitudes because of their short, explosive flight style, and they prefer to stay closer to the ground than most birds.

Other pheasants fly slightly slower at around 27-38 mph (43-61 kph) but they can fly up to 56 mph (90 kph).

Young pheasants can fly for short distances from 7-12 days of age, though this varies significantly between species. Pheasants can fly at a young age because flight feathers develop before other feathers.

All pheasant species, including the golden pheasant and the extremely common ring-necked pheasant, can fly.

Pheasants are huge birds with great sexual dimorphism, with males being highly ornamental with vivid colors and adornments such as wattles and long tails.