Green Pheasant (Phasianus versicolor) [XC285719]
by Desmond Allen from Karuizawa fields, Nagano Prefecture, Japan (call)
Green Pheasant (Phasianus versicolor) [XC79388]
by Lance A. M. Benner from Hachijojima, Izu Islands, Japan (call)
Subspecies
May be conspecific with Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), but in Japan Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) apparently dies out when introduced in range of present species, as seems unable to hybridize successfully. Nevertheless, they hybridize extensively, where both introduced in Hawaii. Hybridization with Copper Pheasant (Syrmaticus soemmerringii) occasionally recorded in the wild.
Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus).
The following 4 subspecies are recognised:
versicolor Vieillot, 1825 - South-western Honshu and Kyushu, Japan. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus).
tanensis Kuroda, Nagamichi, 1919 - East-central Honshu (Izu and Miura Peninsulas) and nearby Izu Is, and Tanega shima and Yaku shima (off southern Kyushu), Japan. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus).
robustipes Kuroda, Nagamichi, 1919 - Sado and most of Honshu, Japan. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus).
tohkaidi Momiyama, 1922 - Central and western Honshu, Shikoku.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet