Green pheasant
Scientific name: Phasianus versicolor
- How weight is recorded: Whole weight
Field notes
Appearance
The male displays an iridescent green head and neck, metallic blue-green back, and reddish-brown breast, while the female is dull brown and grey with mottling throughout. The male is significantly larger and far more colourful than the female.
Size and weight
Male: 1.0–1.3 kg, 60–70 cm. Female: 0.8–1.0 kg, 50–60 cm.
Habitat
Green pheasant inhabits open and semi-open grassland with scattered bushes, bamboo thickets, and cultivated fields in lowlands and moderate hill country. It prefers a mosaic landscape of farmed and natural vegetation.
Distribution
Endemic to Japan, found on Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu across diverse cultural landscapes and natural habitats from lowland to mid-mountain elevations.
Diet
Seeds, berries, insects, and green plant matter; in autumn and winter predominantly seeds from cultivated crops and wild plants.
Behaviour
Green pheasant is primarily diurnal and ground-dwelling; it uses flight to escape danger or when seeking evening roost. It is generally less social than other pheasant species and typically solitary or in pairs.
Hunting tips
Look for ground scratchings and droppings along trails and open areas. Approach with the wind in your favour, moving slowly through cover at dawn; the bird often flushes before visual contact. Use terrain to mask your approach and expect sudden, explosive flight when flushed.
Whole weight
This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.
Where it is hunted
Listed as huntable in 1 country in Huntify.
Names in other languages
Current language: en
These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.