What is the National Bird of Japan?

In 1947, Japan named the green pheasant as its national bird, and it is well known all over the world. This colorful male bird has a dark green crown, and a blue and purple tinged throat and neck.

The mantle of the bird is located near the shoulders and along the spine and is a dark green, olive and gray. The female has darker feathers and is less colorful than the male.

The scientific name for the bird is Phasianus Versicolor.

The green pheasant lives in grasslands and near crop fields that raise corn and other grains. They are found in woodlands, brush, and grasslands.

The female pheasant is tan and grayish brown and has a much shorter tail than the male.

Their diet is a combination of plants, bugs, eggs, grains, and beans. It is raised by breeders and on farms in small quantities because the birds are very skittish.

Why is the Green Pheasant the national bird?

Folklore believes that the green pheasant can detect earthquakes and make calling sounds before they hit. That is one reason the Japanese have named him the national bird due to having many earthquakes.

They make a strange sound when communicating when walking and these sounds increase in volume when they are threatened.

Under what conditions does the Green Pheasant live?

Green pheasants often live outdoors in large flocks, and they may live alone or in pairs. They only live about one year in the wild and about two when raised on farms and by breeders.

How does this species reproduce?

Green pheasant males often mate with several females at one time or for hens. Their glitzy feathers lure the females to want to mate with the male.

Their group of female hens lay about 6-20 eggs at a time and the hens keep them warm for about 3 weeks or more.

The females take care of the chicks after they hatch. This breed starts mating at about one year old.

The eggs produced are olive in color and their nests are usually located in secluded, sheltered spots.

After the chicks hatch, after a few months, the young pheasants learn to be independent. The green pheasant makes an attentive caregiver to the young.

The warmer weather brings danger to the chicks and many of the chicks die in the first six to ten weeks after hatching. Some female pheasants adopt stray chicks who have lost their mothers due to predators or illness.

What is the size and flying speed of the Green Pheasant?

The birds are small but the male’s long tail is about 20 inches, and adds to the total size. The females have smaller tails and, overall, the birds are about the size of a chicken.

They fly fast, about fifty miles per hour and, when threatened, fly about sixty miles per hour. The birds weigh between 1-3 pounds.

How are they raised on farms?

Those that raise the green pheasant must find a breeder to purchase them from. They are not common and hard to locate. They were raised in the United States but have fallen out of favor due to Avian flu a few years ago.

They are very solitary birds and like to be left alone. When they see humans, or animals, they often hide.

They need a very large pen with plenty of cover to hide behind or in. Their pens should have bushes, trees, and limbs to give them the seclusion they require.

When they do not have this, they will try to escape by flying against the wire or fences and can get injured. They need a secure pen to protect them from other animals that prey on them.

They are often raised with one male bird, but breeders often find the male gets into fights to prove they are the alpha male.

The birds should be fed 30 percent protein until they are older and then can be fed commercial bird feed, corn, fruit, and nuts.

Cold water is dangerous to give them. It can kill them from shock. Breeders should give them water that is lukewarm or tepid.

What types of aviaries are needed?

The green pheasant needs a large space with plenty of cover to encourage it to lay eggs.

These birds are harder to breed because they cannot be crowded into small spaces and should be raised in small groups in a rural setting.

They are often raised on small farms and by breeders in small quantities, not large.

How is the Japanese Green Pheasant classified?

This pheasant is classified as a sub species of the Common Pheasant. It is classified in the category of bird and the biological classification of Aves.

This means it has feathers, vertebrae, a beak, a light weight skeleton and lays eggs with hard shells.

They like to run due to their strong legs, more than they prefer to fly. They run fast and have keen hearing and sight. They know when another animal or human is approaching due to their heightened senses.

They can swim in water, walk about 10 miles per hour, and dive into the water to hunt for food. Their sharp claws are handy in cold weather for digging through snow to find food.

Do Green Pheasants migrate in the winter or summer?

No, they stay in their nests in the wild and often do without food for a few days when it becomes scarce. Some die due to not being able to find any food and the cold.

In summer they breathe faster because of the hot weather. They do this to cool down as they do not breathe as people do.

Where are they found besides Japan?

They are found in the Hawaiian Islands, Europe, and the United States.

What animals hunt and eat Green Pheasants?

Humans hunt pheasants and eat them, as do animals like coyotes, owls, foxes, dogs, hawks, and eagles. Other small animals like to eat their eggs, which keeps them from hatching.