Green Pheasant (Phasianus versicolor) [XC105448]
by Jerome Chie-Jen Ko from Nishikaigan Park, Niigata, Japan (call)
Green Pheasant (Phasianus versicolor) [XC285719]
by Desmond Allen from Karuizawa fields, Nagano Prefecture, Japan (call)
Subspecies
May be conspecific with Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), but in Japan Ring-necked 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 Ring-necked 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 Ring-necked 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 Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus).
robustipes Kuroda, Nagamichi, 1919 - Sado and most of Honshu, Japan. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus).
tohkaidi Momiyama, 1922 - Central and western Honshu, Shikoku.