A pheasant is a large, colorful bird originally from Asia that's now common in many parts of the world. Male pheasants are especially striking, with long tail feathers and brilliant plumage in shades of copper, green, and gold that shimmer in the sunlight. Females are brown and tan, colors that help them blend into tall grass and brush where they nest.

Pheasants prefer open countryside with a mix of fields and woodland edges. They're ground birds, meaning they spend most of their time walking through grasslands and farmland searching for seeds, berries, and insects. When startled, they burst into the air with a loud, whirring flutter of wings and a distinctive cackle, but they only fly short distances before landing again.

In many places, pheasants aren't native birds but were brought by people who wanted to hunt them. They've adapted so well that in states like South Dakota and Iowa, you might see them regularly near cornfields and country roads. You might spot a male pheasant strutting across a field, his spectacular tail feathers trailing behind him, or hear that sudden, explosive takeoff when you walk too close to one hidden in the brush.