Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies

The Phasianidae family includes medium to large ground-dwelling gamebirds with sturdy bodies, short rounded wings, and strong legs suited for living on the ground. Most species show clear differences between males and females. Males often have bright, decorative feathers, while females have dull brown and grey colouring to help them blend in. They have strong feet for scratching the soil and short, curved beaks that are good for eating seeds and small animals like insects. There is a lot of variety in this group, from small, compact birds like partridges to long-tailed birds like pheasants and large, heavy birds like capercaillies. They come from places like Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. They live in many different areas, including mountain meadows, moorland, the edges of woods, and farmland. These birds usually nest on the ground and are not good at flying. They prefer to run away from danger and will only fly if they have to, doing so with fast, noisy wingbeats. Outside of the breeding season, many of these birds gather in small groups called coveys.