Ring-necked Pheasant
An introduced game bird of fields and weedy roadsides that may appear at ground feeders but should not be deliberately encouraged in a residential yard.
By Birdly Yard Editorial TeamReviewed Updated
Local season
Months with a state-level historical signal for this species.
Status
Backyard reports
Look for it
Look in farm country, tall field edges, brushy cover, hedgerows, and recently harvested or weedy areas.
Food
Waste grain, seeds, green plant material, and insects gathered while walking on the ground.
Nesting
Natural nesting guidance
Ring-necked Pheasant habitat
Observe in existing agricultural landscapes and protect native grassland goals rather than adding food or nesting cover for an introduced pheasant.
Ring-necked Pheasant diet and food
Waste grain, seeds, green plant material, and insects gathered while walking on the ground.
Do not use a ground feeder to attract pheasants; it can concentrate large birds and disrupt native ground-nesting species.
Ring-necked Pheasant nesting and breeding
Nests on the ground in tall vegetation; do not add nest boxes or enter likely nesting cover in spring and summer.
Ring-necked Pheasant behavior and where to look
Usually walks or runs through cover and bursts into a rapid, nearly vertical flight only when alarmed.
Photography
Use a long lens from a public roadside or field margin and do not flush a bird from cover.
What to avoid
Do not feed, release, or build habitat specifically for this introduced bird, especially near native ground-nesting species.
Continue exploring
Explore related bird guides
Compare food, habitat and nesting. Local seasonal records vary by species.
