Ring-necked pheasant

In 1882 the Willamette Valley of Oregon was the site of the first successful introduction of ring-necked pheasants in the United States. Those birds were transported by sea directly from China by Judge Owen Denny. The transplanted birds found perfect habitat and soon populations burgeoned into the tens of thousands.

Features: Female pheasants are brown on top and paler underneath. They have black spots on their sides and black bars throughout their tails. The males are much more conspicuous with bright red on their head, a white band around their necks, and an iridescent copper color on their sides and backs. Their tails are long and pointed with barring.

Habitat: The ringneck is a farmland species, heavily dependent on cereal grains and other seeds. They also like taller vegetation for cover.

Technique: Because pheasants are tied so closely to agriculture, the majority of hunting opportunity occurs on private lands. State wildlife areas, however, offer opportunities for hunting on public lands, and some federal refuges also provide pheasant hunting.

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