The pheasant
In the first of a new series on quarry species, Charles Smith-jones takes a look at our most popular gamebird Phasianus colchicus
Just how long the pheasant has been found in Britain is open to question but it is likely that, as with so many of our non-native species, the Romans had a major hand in bringing them to our shores. It is also likely that they were bred as table birds long before their sporting potential was recognised, when the development of the firearm permitted widespread wing shooting to take place. It is undeniably our most popular gamebird today and with good reason – it is fast fl ying, delicious and straightforward to rear and release.
Origins
The pheasant’s origins actually lie a long way off in eastern Europe and Asia. There are around 49 species to be found worldwide and our own common pheasant has many subspecies, not to mention the many strains developed specially for the shooting field.
The name pheasant has its origins in the Latin phasianus, meaning Phasian bird, the Phasis being a river now known as the Rioni that flows from the Caucasus mountains into the Black Sea. refers to the ancient city of Colchis, the modern-day Kutaisi in Georgia, which lies on the Rioni’s banks.
British arrivals
The first arrivals in Britain were almost certainly what we would recognise today as the Old English Blackneck, while the Ringneck with its characteristic white collar did not arrive from the Far East until much later. Only subsequently were new strains developed, assisted by the pheasant’s ability to interbreed readily between species. Today’s gamekeeper can choose from an almost bewildering variety that includes the Michigan Blueback, Bazanty, Scandinavian, Japanese green and Manchurian, among many others. The truly massive so-called Jumbo Ringneck, weighing in at up to 5lb and occasionally as much as 7lb, is by far the biggest but is not truly a sporting bird having been developed in the USA for the table market. Most strains are based on the original imports of Phasianuscolchicus. Fashions come and go, each dictated by particular characteristics such as size, flying ability, resistance to disease and –