Ring-necked Pheasant

These feathers belong to a Ring-necked Pheasant, a chicken-like bird with a long tail and striking plumage. Males are explosively colorful with golden scales and red facial skin. This specific feather shows the characteristic two-toned look of the pheasant's body armor.

Rich golden-brown to chestnut base with a broad, contrasting dark iridescent greenish-black or deep brown border at the tip and along the margins; transition is sharp and decorative.

Dually structured: the upper distal portion is pennaceous and tightly interlocked, while the lower proximal portion (near the base) is highly plumulaceous and downy; contains a notable aftershaft.

Smooth and glossy on the pennaceous tip (melanin-rich areas); soft, fluffy, and downy at the base for insulation; surface often has a structural sheen.

Symmetrical paddle shape, distinct dark 'fringe' or subterminal band, and a pale rachis with a large downy base.

Agricultural fields, grasslands, brushy areas, and hedgerows with nearby water and dense cover for nesting.

Native to Asia but widely introduced across North America, Europe, and parts of Oceania. Widespread resident in US Midwest and Great Plains.

Primary consumer (granivore/insectivore); serves as a major prey source for coyotes, foxes, and large raptors.

Ruffed Grouse (more mottled/barred, less distinct dark border), Domestic Chicken feathers (lack the same level of iridescence and stiff symmetry).

The Ring-necked Pheasant is the state bird of South Dakota. Despite their heavy bodies, they can burst into flight at speeds of up to 48 miles per hour.

Excellent condition; barbs are mostly intact and aligned; the downy base is clean and expanded, suggesting a recently molted feather.