The Phasianidae is a large and family of various birds. It has a large number of species that go up to 138 with 38 genera. It is comprised of birds like the pheasants, partridges, quail, peafowl and the jungle fowl among others. They are distributed almost evenly in each continent in the world. They are most common in Africa and Southern Asia .

They mostly occupy land around forests, deserts, woodlands, bamboo thickets, and cultivated lands among others. They like to hide and can not be easily seen unless of course they have been domesticated. They have a weight that ranges from 43 g to 6 kg. When it comes to their physical appearance, they tend to have males that are bigger than the females. Other common physical features that they possess are short wings and strong legs that have spurs like the guinea fowl and turkey in the gulliforme family. Like all other birds in this family also, they have bright conspicuous colors. It is not uncommon to spot some adorned crests and wattles. The male has a really long feather in the tail that nearly touches the ground.

The Phasianidae’s diet is pretty much like for members of its family. They feed on a variety of insects and seeds. They however have more to eat than the others. They have root tubers, small reptiles, fruits and roots. When they are young, they tend to eat more insects than plants and small reptiles. You find that they practice polygamy in that; one male can mate with as many females as possible.

They lay eggs and their number increases as they move away from the tropical areas. The female takes care of the eggs and the young ones when they are hatched. A large number of birds in the Phasianidae family play a great role to man. The jungle fowl is a famous ancestor of the chicken and is used for agriculture in Asia. Most of the others are widely hunted during the game hunts. If man is not careful, they will become extinct in the near future. Man’s activities also cause a great risk in the existence of these birds. The main effect of man is global warming which has led to a serious climate change. With time, these birds will not have a habitat to live in.

Unfortunately, most of these birds can not be easily observed because they tend to shy away from man. The reason for this is because man hunts them so they have learnt a survival tactic that allows them stay safe.

Some of the birds prefer to live in the trees on stumps while a few prefer to live on the ground. This is where they lay their eggs. They use their loud vocals to attract females during the breeding period and during sessions when the males gather around to make noise and get attention; a way of announcing their presence. It is common to see them fighting as if for their honor or respect.