Common Pheasant

Phasianus colchicus

Abundant & widespread introduced resident with 2 million breeding in the UK & Ireland.

Males have barred bright gold or fiery copper-red and chestnut-brown plumage with iridescent sheen of green and purple; but rump uniform is sometimes blue.

The head is bottle green with a small crest and distinctive red wattle.

Females & Juveniles are duller mottled brown plumage all over.

Young birds lack the long tail.

There also a "melanistic mutant".

If startled however, they can suddenly burst upwards at great speed, with a distinctive "whirring" wing sound and often giving kok kok kok calls to alert conspecifics.

They also give a loud, rooster-like crowing, which can be heard up to a mile away, with wing flapping.