Pheasants belong to the avian order Galliformes,
which contains most of the species often referred to as ‘game birds’.
the megapodes (Megapodiidae), cracids (Cracidae) guineafowl
(Numididae), New World quails (Odontophoridae), turkeys
(Meleagrididae),grouse (Tetraonidae), and partridges, Old World quails,
and Old World quails, and pheasants (Phasianidae).
The Phasianidae is a large family that contains most of the gallinaceous birds of the world. It includes the ancestral chicken and the ancestral peacock. Recent molecular evidence shows that both the grouse and the turkey lineages are embedded within the larger pheasant/partridge assemblage. Ornithologists and taxonomist established more affinities and relationship of pheasants with Old World partridges, quails and francolin species than any other group in the Galliformes. There are 52 species of pheasants and peafowl. Excluding a very few "easy" species, such as Indian Peafowl, each pheasant located is a major accomplishment.
The pheasants are Asian in their native distributions, except Congo peafowl, which is endemic to the Democratic republic of Congo in central Africa. These pheasants can be easily divided into two groups as high altitude species, which inhabits snow bound habitat of Himalayas or in the higher mountain ranges of China Japan and Taiwan, and low altitude species which need heat and protection to survive in winter with below freezing temperature. Low altitude species are found mainly in Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines .All these pheasant species range from 4200 m altitude to just 0 m altitude (at sea level). Tragopan and Monal pheasants inhabit at the altitude of above 4000 m in Himalayas where as peacock pheasants, mostly, live at sea level. Red jungle fowl is another important member family Phasianidae which inhabit in the middle of the above extreme altitudinal profile. The incredible variety of domestic poultry, such as Polish bantams, millefleurs, brahmas, battery hens, and fighting cocks are all derived from Red Jungle fowl.
Several species have been introduced into
various parts of Europe and North America, as a game bird, by humans.
The most important among these introduced species is ring-necked
pheasant which was introduced to Europe from Asia minor and later from
China and Japan some ,over 1,000 years, and today it has become a major
sport species in Europe and North America. It has been estimated that
in Europe alone, almost over 22 million birds are harvested annually,
where as in North America about 9.5 million birds are exploited by
small game shooters and hence generate a lot of revenue and employment
for landowners and local communities.
Five species of Himalyan pheasants i.e. Monal (Lophophorus impeyanus), Western horned Tragopan (Tragopan malanocephalus), Koklas (Pucrasia macrolopha), white crested Kalij(Lophora leucomalana) and Cheer(Catreus wallichii) are indigenous to the forests of Mansehra Wildlife Division (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Wildlife Department).All four pheasant species, except cheer pheasant, exist in varying numbers where as cheer is locally extinct. Dhodial Pheasantry has not only bred parent flock of cheer pheasant but also involving local communities in its re-introduction in suitable habitat of Mansehra.
Importance of Pheasants
Pheasants remained always source of attraction for humans. The reason behind this attraction and interest is their beautiful feathers, easy to trap or shoot nature and source of rich protein. These pheasants remained in main focus in Chinese art and literature. Pheasants therefore yield significant importance and economic benefits to human population locally and internationally. Some of the importance of pheasants for human beings is as follows.
- Source of economy and social uplift through sustained and managed harvesting.
- Developing potential habitat sites as game reserves to boost employment and revenue for local peoples and land owners.
- Remained a source of cultural traditions, visible in art, religion, and folklore of different ethnic groups in Asia.
- The red jungle fowl has a long association with human beings which is spread for centuries, and is established progenitor of the domestic fowls for nearly 5000 years.
- Remained the symbol of bravery in Chinese military uniform, which was probably conceived by the battles fought by the male during breeding season.
- Potential birds group for enhancing ecotourism, trophy hunting, and social uplift of local communities in third world countries by their scientific management in their natural habitats as well as by raring in captivity.
- Pheasant’s species can be used as a biological indicator to monitor health of ecosystem and other associated wildlife species.
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