Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)

The pheasant is considered one of the most recognizable birds of our fields and forest edges. Hikers often spot it at the foot of hills or on sunny slopes, where it likes to linger in low shrubbery. Although it originates from Asia, it has fully acclimatized in our environment.
The male and female differ greatly from each other. The male is extremely colorful and has a shiny copper body with black spots. Its head is metallic green with characteristic red patches of bare skin around the eyes, and its long tail gives it an elegant appearance. The female, on the other hand, is much less conspicuous. Her feathers are protective gray-brown in color, allowing her to completely hide in tall grass or shrubbery from predators.
The bird prefers to stay where agricultural areas, shrubbery, and forest edges intertwine. In hilly areas, it stays mainly at lower elevations. It feeds on seeds, fruits, and green parts of plants, occasionally also eating some insect or other small invertebrate.
The pheasant is known for preferring to run rather than fly. If a hiker surprises it near the path, it usually explodes low over the ground. This takeoff is accompanied by loud and rapid wing flapping, which honestly scares many walkers. Males, especially in springtime, announce themselves with a hoarse and loud sound, followed by rapid wing slapping against the body.