Common Pheasant vs Crested Partridge
Phasianus colchicus compared with Rollulus rouloul
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Common Pheasant | Crested Partridge |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phasianus colchicus | Rollulus rouloul |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 47.5 cm (18.7 in) | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) |
| Weight | 1463.25 g (51.61 oz) | 250.5 g (8.84 oz) |
| Diet | Highly omnivorous; eats seeds, grain, berries, roots, invertebrates, and small vertebrates; scratches and digs in … | Forages on floor of Southeast Asian lowland rainforests for seeds, fallen fruits, and invertebrates. Scratches … |
| Clutch Size | 2-23 | 4-6 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Common Pheasant
Loud, explosive 'kork-KOK' crowing by males; followed by rapid wing-beating. Far-carrying across farmland. Alarm is a cackling rattle; females give soft 'ti-ti' contact notes.
Crested Partridge
High-pitched, thin whistled 'seee' repeated persistently; metallic and insect-like. Males call from forest floor, rarely seen. Alarm is an explosive low grunt followed by rapid wing beats.
Geographic Range & Migration
Common Pheasant
Native from the Caucasus east through central Asia to China and Korea; introduced and widespread across Europe, North America, and Australasia.
Crested Partridge
Resident in lowland and foothill rainforest of Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo. Found below 1,500 m.
Conservation Status
Common Pheasant
Crested Partridge
How to Tell Them Apart
Common Pheasant
Male rich chestnut and golden-buff with dark scale-like markings; iridescent bottle-green head with red facial wattle; often white neck-ring; long barred tail. Female cryptically mottled pale brown and buff.
Crested Partridge
Male is dark glossy green-black with vivid red-crimson erectile crest; red orbital skin; chestnut wings. Female is entirely bright emerald green with brown wings, red legs, and grey head; among …
About These Birds
Common Pheasant
The most widespread Phasianidae gamebird (~1.46 kg), native to Asia but introduced globally for hunting. Males are iridescent bronze with red facial wattles and a long barred tail. Inhabits farmland, woodland edges, and scrub. Omnivorous; takes seeds, grain, and invertebrates. Least Concern.
Crested Partridge
A small partridge (~250 g) of family Phasianidae, males with vivid crimson crest and iridescent green plumage. Found in lowland tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia including Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo. Forages on the forest floor for fallen seeds, fruits, and invertebrates. Vulnerable; dependent on primary lowland forest, heavily impacted by deforestation and palm oil expansion.