A large family, the Phasianidae include grouse, turkeys, capercaillies, partridges, Old World quail, francolins, tragopans, monals, pheasants, junglefowl, and peafowl. The junglefowl in the genus Gallus are the ancestors of all domestic chickens. Within genera most species are very similar in shape and structure, but there are wide differences in plumage, and sexual dimorphism of plumage and size is common.
Male pheasants are undoubtedly among the most brightly plumaged birds, with almost every color represented, often in a single species. The males of several species have elaborate, brightly colored face patches, crests, or ruffs, and a long, multicolored tail. Male tragopans have a bright blue or red face, which becomes enlarged during display; in male Temminck's Tragopan (Tragopan temmickii), two pale blue 'horns' extend back from the eyes, and a large electric-blue and red lappet inflates to cover the throat and upper breast. Junglefowl are also brightly colored. The peafowl have spectacular plumage, highly glossed in bottle-green and deep blue with long, flowing, filamentous tails displaying orange and black eye patterns.
Social behavior varies between genera and species, some species being entirely solitary, meeting only to mate with females, and others living usually in pairs or large family groups throughout the year. The more social birds often display fairly elaborate defense of females or territories.
Most species are largely sedentary, but some may make irregular or nomadic movements in search of food when not breeding; tundra-breeding populations of Willow Grouse (Lagopus lagopus) move up to 300 km south to the edge of forested areas. Three species of quail are truly migratory, and of these the long-distance migrant is Common Quail. This species breeds across Europe to central Asia, and moves south to winter in Africa along the Nile Valley and south of the Sahara; eastern birds winter in India south if the Himalayas.
The smaller species (quails, francolins and partridges) are mostly monogamous, but the grouse and pheasants are highly polygamous. Several of the grouse have well known and fairly elaborate displays, or leks, at which several males compete against each other in vocal or drumming displays, with fluffed-up plumage accompanied by wing- or tail-rattling dances or strutting postures, and possibly by song-flights. Monogamous species lack the elaborate social displays of the polygamous species. Nests are always built on the ground, but several tragopans nest low down in trees. Chicks of most species leave the nest and forage with the adult female or the rest of the social group within a few days of hatching.
Number of genera: 45
Number of species: 172
A list of all species can be found here.