Ring-necked Pheasant (Common Pheasant)

A beautiful contour feather from a male Ring-necked Pheasant. The bird is a large, chicken-like ground dweller. Males are spectacular with iridescent green heads, red facial wattles, and a mosaic of gold, brown, and black body feathers.

The tip features a rich coppery-cinnamon or chestnut hue, bordered by a dark black iridescent iridescent band. Below the pennaceous tip, the downy section is charcoal grey to brownish-grey.

The distal (top) portion is pennaceous and tightly interlocked; the proximal (bottom) majority is plumulaceous, creating a downy, fluffy appearance for insulation.

The tip is glossy and smooth with a slight metallic sheen; the body of the feather is extremely soft, downy, and matte.

The 'capped' chestnut tip with a black sub-terminal band and an unusually large downy base are diagnostic for Phasianidae body feathers.

Open grasslands, agricultural fields (corn and grain), hedgerows, and brushy marshes. They prefer areas with dense cover for nesting and roosting.

Native to Asia but widely introduced globally. Found across much of North America, Europe, and parts of Oceania as a resident species.

Generalist foragers that serve as a prey base for various raptors and mammals. They help control insect populations and act as seed dispersers.

Ruffed Grouse feathers (usually more mottled/barred) and Wild Turkey body feathers (larger, often with a square iridescent copper edge and an aftershaft).

Pheasants were first introduced to North America from China in 1881. Despite their heavy bodies, they can burst into flight at speeds up to 40 miles per hour when startled.

Fair to Good. The pennaceous tip is slightly frayed, and the downy barbs are somewhat matted, suggesting it may have been exposed to moisture or spent time on the ground before being found.