Pheasants & Allies

The Phasianidae family comprises 185 species of heavy, mostly ground-dwelling birds like pheasants, partridges, junglefowl, turkeys, and peafowl. These birds vary widely in size, with some tiny like the king quail and others massive like the Indian peafowl and even heavier wild turkey. They feature brightly colored males with ornaments such as combs and wattles, especially in larger species, and show a range of spur configurations on their legs. Found mainly in the Old World, Phasianidae species inhabit diverse environments from Europe and Asia to Africa and parts of Australia. Behaviorally, they exhibit varied diets from vegetarian to insectivorous and show different breeding strategies, with some monogamous and others polygamous, generally nesting on the ground. The family's relationship with humans is significant as the red junglefowl is the ancestor to domestic chickens and wild turkeys to domestic ones, both crucial in agriculture, while many species are popular gamebirds. With a complex evolutionary history, systematics have been revised, now including turkeys and grouse within the Phasianidae family, which continues to be studied and understood through molecular phylogenies.