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This long-tailed game bird is native to Asia and has been introduced in many other parts of the world.
Not listed
Indigenous: Versicolor Pheasant, Chinese Ringneck, Ring-Necked Pheasant, Mongolian Pheasant
At a glance
FamilyPheasants, Grouse, and Allies
SizeLarge
RarityUncommon
HabitatClosed forest, Grassland, Open woodland, Sparse woodland, and Waterbodies
Best timeMost reliable in Tasmania from October to November.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Petter Westberg
Range map
Range map
187visible hotspots
1090visible records
5states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Male has fleshy, red facial wattles, iridescent blue neck, and richly colored red and golden underparts with dark spots; his namesake white neck ring is indistinct on some birds. Female is buffy-brown, heavily marked with black, and usually shows some white markings around the eye. In much of its introduced range, including North America, there are no similar species. Elsewhere, note male’s blue neck and heavily spotted body, and female’s spotted or chevroned (not barred) underparts and mostly plain face lacking strong red markings. Japanese birds are now treated as a separate species, Green Pheasant.
Behavior
Found in farmland, scrub, and along the edge of forest, and often gives a loud, abrupt rasping call that draws attention to its presence.
Gallery