Phasianidae
The pheasant (Phasianidae) are a family of birds of the order Galliformes, which include roosters, pheasants, meleagris, turkeys, partridges and other birds terrestrial. They are generally robust, short-winged in relation to the body with showy coloration, they are not suitable for long-distance flight. They are granivorous, and supplement their diet with insects. There are 177 species distributed in 46 genera.
Features
Males have much more showy plumage than females.
Females, on the other hand, have a more indefinitely colored plumage, mixing brown and gray feathers. They dedicate themselves to taking care of their nests and their young and their size is somewhat smaller than that of the male.
Genres
Phasianids include the following genera:
- Subfamily Perdicinae
- Melanoperdix
- Rhizothera
- Xenoperdix
- Arborophila
- Rollulus
- Caloperdix
- Ammoperdix
- Excalfactory
- Anurophasis
- Margaroperdix
- Coturnix
- Tetraogallus
- Alectoris
- Pternistis
- Ophrysia
- Perdicula
- Bambusicola
- Scleroptila
- Peliperdix
- Francolinus
- Perdix
- Haematortyx
- Galloperdix
- Lerwa
- Tetraophasis
- Subfamily Meleagridinae
- Meleagris
- Subfamily Phasianinae
- Polyplectron
- Gallus
- Ithaginis
- Tragopan
- Lophophorus
- Rheinardia
- Argusianus
- Afropavo
- Pavo
- Syrmaticus
- Phasianus
- Chrysolophus
- Lophura
- Catreus
- Crossoptilon
- Subfamily Tetraoninae
- Pucrasia
- Bonasa
- Tetrastes
- Centrocercus
- Dendragapus
- Tympanuchus
- Lagopus
- Falcipennis
- Tetrao
- Lyrurus
- †Cynchramus
- †Palaealectoris
- †Proagriocharis
- †Rhegminornis
Etymology
Both the names of the family, genus, and common name —pheasant— come from the Phasis River, where Jason and the Argonauts first named these birds and where, according to tradition, they were captured to be later introduced into numerous territories. Thus, in the XII century, the word fesan appears in France, the origin of all European names. of the pheasants.