Table 13.1a–c.

Families, genera and representative species within the order Galliformes. The following are most likely to be encountered by the veterinarian, as they are often kept in captive collections

a. Family: Phasianidae
i. Subfamily Phasianinae (pheasants); 8 genera containing 21 species
In most species the male bird has highly coloured plumage whilst the female is more dowdy. Most cock pheasants have exceptionally long tails which are vaulted, i.e. in cross-section they are like an inverted V. The tail is used by the cock bird for display purposes when courting. The fourth digit (the hallux) is located more proximally on the metatarsus than the three forward-directed digits. In many species there is a pointed spur placed proximal to this fourth digit on the metatarsus. This appendage is used by the male birds for fighting to gain territory. Some species of pheasant have coloured facial skin on the head. Most pheasants make a whirring wing noise during territorial display and are also quite vocal.

Genus	Species	Characteristic	Size	Global distribution and normal habit
Gallus	G. gallus	The red jungle fowl: like the domestic chicken. From this species all the numerous breeds of domestic fowl have originated. The red jungle fowl will hybridize with domestic chickens. The species was probably first domesticated during the Bronze Age, and was originally kept for cock fighting. Unlike other pheasants, it has a more longitudinally arched tail and the cock has well-developed comb and wattles	66 cm (body) 28–30 cm (tail)	SE Asia (Kashmir, central India, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra and Java). Inhabits tropical rain forest, secondary growth scrub and rice stubble
	G. sonneratii	The grey jungle fowl; Sonneray’s jungle fowl: a somewhat larger, more dowdy bird than the red jungle fowl. Will hybridize with above species	76 cm (body) 41 cm (tail)	Western and southern India. Habitat: forest scrub, bamboo
Lophura	L. nycthenera	The silver pheasant: male bird, marked comb and red facial skin, silver grey wings and tail, black under parts. Will hybridize with above species	122 cm (body) 61–66 cm (tail)	South China, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam. Habitat: forest
	L. swinhoii	Swinhoe’s pheasant; Formosan pheasant: marked comb and wattles, white neck, brown and dark blue/green plumage, dorsal tail white	150 cm	Taiwan. Habitat: mountainous up to 2800 m
	L. diandi	Siamese fire-back pheasant: male has crest, grey mantle, golden back patch, black tail	81–86 cm (body)	Burma, Thailand, Indo-China
Phasianus	P. colchicus	Common pheasant: two varieties; the white ring-necked form and the dark-necked form	60–90 cm (body) 52 cm (tail)	Eurasia, China, Taiwan. Introduced to North America, Hawaii, New Zealand, UK. Habitat: grass scrub, temperate woodland
Syrmaticus	S. reevesii	Reeves’s pheasant, bar-tailed pheasant: body plumage golden with feathers edged with black. Tail long, silver banded with dark brown	86 cm (body) 101–152 cm (tail)	North and central China. Habitat: open woodland with pine, cypress and oak, tall grass and bushes
Chrysolophus	C. pictus	Golden pheasant: red under neck and breast, head and back golden, wings green, red, blue and brown, tail brown	39 cm (body) 76–79 cm (tail)	Central China, introduced locally in UK. Habitat: bushy slopes, bamboo, terraced fields
	C. amherstiae	Lady Amherst’s pheasant: body plumage shows patches of green and white, silver, golden. Very long silver and brown tail	55 cm (body) 76–117 cm (tail)	SE Tibet, SW China, Burma. Habitat: wooded slopes, bracken hillsides, bamboo thickets
The eared pheasants – all have exceptionally long, rather bushy tails
Crossoptilon	C. crossoptilon	The white eared pheasant, Tibetan eared pheasant	91 cm (body)	SE Tibet to NE Yunan and central Szechwan. Habitat: coniferous and mixed forest, rhododendron scrub, grassy slopes
	C. manchurian	The brown eared pheasant, Manchurian eared pheasant: Body brown, red facial skin with white collar and ear tufts	99 cm (body)	NE China. Habitat: stunted conifer or birch, rocky open shrub, coarse grass
	C. uritum	The blue eared pheasant, Mongolian eared pheasant	97 cm (body)	W China. Habitat: conifer and mixed forest, bushy alpine meadow

ii. Subfamily Tragopinae; 5 species
Tragopan	T. satyra	Satyr tragopan or crimson horned pheasant: white-specked orange and crimson plumage, back and tail base olive brown. Scapulars crimson but wing otherwise brown. Head, crest and throat black, tail reddish brown barred black and rather truncated	69 cm body which looks plumpish	Eastern Palaearctic, central and eastern Himalayas. Habitat: high forests. Migrates downhill in winter

iii. Subfamily Lophophorinae; 3 species
The monal pheasants: heavy-bodied birds with a shorter, more square-shaped tail rather like a turkey. The cock birds have an iridescent plumage.
Lophophorus	L. impeyans	The Himalayan monal or Impeyan: male has an upright crest, white lower back and lower rump. Upper tail coverts dark glossy blue-green, tail reddish-brown. Body and wings dark metallic green to purple, underparts black	71 cm (body)	Afghanistan Himalayas, SE Tibet. Habitat: open forest up to 3000 m

iv. Subfamily Argusianinae; 3 genera, 8 species
Argusianus	A. argus	The great argus pheasant: male bird rusty brown plumage with black circled eye spots and mottling. Long tail with two central tail feathers broad and very long. Head bare, blue skin	72 cm (body and tail)	Indochina, Sumatra, Borneo. Habitat: primary tropical rain forest up to 1500 m
Polyplectron	P. bicalaratum	The grey peacock pheasant, Burmese peacock pheasant: male greyish brown, light-coloured throat and underparts. Large violet ocelli on back and tail. Crest, yellowish facial skin	30 cm (body) 41 cm (tail)	Central and southern Burma, Thailand, Laos, North Vietnam. Habitat: humid forest, lowlands and mountains up to 1800 m
	P. empharum	Palawan peacock pheasant, Napoleon peacock pheasant: male darkish brown with iridescent blue-green pointed crest. Tail has large blue-green eye spots. Facial skin reddish, white cheek patch	26 cm (body) 25 cm (tail)	The island of Palawan in the Philippines, north of Borneo. Habitat: humid forest, lower elevation tropical rain forest

v. Subfamily Parvoninae; 2 genera, 3 species
Peafowl: all have well-developed spurs.
Parvo	P. cristatus	Common peafowl, Indian peafowl, blue peafowl: it is only the cock bird, the peacock, which develops the spectacular train and this does not develop until the third year. The long ornamental feathers of the tail are not true rectrices but elongated covert feathers	198–229 cm	India, Sri Lanka. Habitat: moist dry deciduous lowland forest up to 1500 m
	P. muticus	Green peafowl, Javanese green peafowl, Green necked peafowl: large bird, long train, brilliant green plumage, blue and yellow facial skin	213–244 cm	SW China, Assam, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Java. Habitat: open forest, riverbanks, forest edge, sometimes found up to 1000 m.
Afroparvo	A. congesis	The African peafowl: male dark glossy green and bronze on back rump. Underside dark green, violet iridescent back of neck and sternum. Crown white and black spots. Facial skin blue	60–68 cm	Zaire (Congo Basin). Habitat: dense lowland tropical rain forest

vi. Subfamily Tetraonidae; 6 genera, 17 species
The grouse: birds in this subfamily have feathered external nares as well as feathered tarsi and sometimes feathered digits, particularly the ptarmigan, which inhabits colder regions. Grouse do not have tarsal spurs. During the breeding season some species (e.g. the prairie chicken, black, sharp-tailed and sage grouse) gather at traditional display arenas or lecks, where the males carry out an intricate repetitive dance to hold territory and attract females. All grouse are powerful fliers.
Lagopus	L. lagopus	Willow grouse, Willow ptarmigan in North America: a stout, short-winged bird, reddish brown in colour with white wings. Wedge-shaped tail with darker outer feathers. Moults three times yearly. White in winter except tail. Male has inflatable red skin combs above eyes. Will burrow under snow for food and shelter	38 cm	Northern Palaearctic, temperate and subarctic. Introduced to Belgium. Habitat: tundra and taiga, heather moorland, willow, birch and juniper scrub, peat bog. Migrates to lower ground in winter
	L. lagopus subspecies scoticus	Red grouse: the same species as above but moults completely to red brown in summer without retaining the white wings		Scotland. West Norwegian population is intermediate between red and willow grouse
	L. mertus	Ptarmigan, rock ptarmigan in North America: a similar species to willow grouse, retains white wings, belly and legs throughout year. In breeding season plumage blackish brown mottled. In winter completely white except outer tail feathers. Red eye combs. Smaller than above species	33 cm	Holarctic as for willow grouse. Habitat: tundra but higher altitudes than L. lagopus and more barren rocky slopes
Lyrus	L. tetrix	Black grouse: black cock and grey hen, male plumage blue/black. Unusual lyre-shaped tail in male also white wing bar and pronounced red eye combs	Male 50 cm, female 38 cm	Palaearctic, UK, Eurasia, NE Siberia and eastern China. Habitat: peat bog with rushes and scrub with some trees. Rocky heather moorland up to 2000 m
Drendragapus	D. canadensis	Spruce grouse, Franklin grouse, fool-hen: male has dark head and neck, flecked white on breast otherwise brownish. Pronounced red eye combs, when erected with fan-shaped tail looks like small turkey cock	41 cm	Canada. Habitat: coniferous forest with dense undergrowth
	D. obscurus	Blue grouse: not unlike spruce grouse but cock bird greyer and larger. Male displays yellowish or red skin covered inflatable oesophagus	51 cm	Western North America to California. Habitat: open mixed woodland and conifer. Lowland and mountain slopes, dry sage brush. Will roost under snow
Centrocercus	C. urophasianus	Sage grouse: male a very large bird (female smaller) mainly brownish in colour with white ruff on breast. Inflatable oesophagus, yellow eye combs. Pointed tail feathers	71 cm	Western North America. Habitat: sage brush, foothills and plains
Bomasa	B. umbellus	Ruffed grouse: plumage reddish brown to grey. Dark edge to fan-shaped tail. Dark ruff around neck. No eye combs	43 cm	Canada, Alaska and North America. Habitat: deciduous and mixed woodland
Tympanuchus	T. cupido	Greater prairie chicken – similar species; lesser and Attwater’s prairie chicken: plumage buff-coloured markedly barred with dark brown. Male has large yellow eye combs and inflatable yellow skin covered oesophagus. Small rounded tail. Male shows prominent forwardly directed ruff of upper neck feathers which could be mistaken for a head crest	43 cm	Mid-West to southern USA. Habitat: tall grass prairie, open and scrubby grassland. Will burrow in snow to roost.
Tetrao	T. urogallus	Capercaillie: a huge grouse. Male slate grey, wings brown, head and throat dark. Small red eye combs. Black tail flecked white, also on abdomen. Hens may hybridize with blackcock	79–84 cm	Palaearctic and temperate western Europe to USSR. Habitat: coniferous and mixed forest. Taiga

vii. Subfamily Meleagridinae; 2 genera, 2 species
Turkeys: large powerful grouse-like birds in which the male bird carries on the head and neck coloured erectile caruncles (wattles) over bill, used during courtship. The cock turkeys have tarsal spurs and will fight to the death. There is a square-ended fan-shaped tail. Rattle wing quills during courtship.
Meleagris	M. galloparvo (5 distinct races)	Wild turkey: slightly smaller than the domesticated varieties. First domesticated by the Mexican Indians in the sixteenth century	94 cm	North America to Mexico. Habitat: woodland and open forest thickets
Agriocharis	A. ocellata	Ocellated turkey: has eye spots on the tail. No expandable crest wattles as in common turkeys. Skin of head more blue than red of common turkey	86 cm	Yucatan in Guatemala. Habitat: subtropical lowland

viii. Subfamily Perdicinae; 20 genera, 106 species
The Old World quails, francolins, partridge and snowcocks: all tend to be rather small, rotund birds with much shorter tails than pheasants. The Old World quails are all small birds with almost non-existent tails. The genus Coternix contains the only migratory Galliformes.
Coternix	C. japonica	Japanese quail: dull, grey/brown with light coloured streaks and eye stripes. Domesticated by the Japanese	15 cm	SE Asia, Burma, Thailand, Laos to Hong Kong and Japan, Taiwan Introduced to North America. Habitat: grassland and cultivated areas
	C. delegorguei	Harlequin quail, Delegorgue’s quail	15 cm	Senegal to Ethiopia and South Africa. Habitat: savannah and grassland
	C. coromandelica	Rain quail, black-breasted quail	15 cm	India, Sri Lanka, Burma
	C. coturnix	Eurasian quail: Rather like Japanese quail with black throat and rufous upper breast. Migrated in huge numbers in Biblical times and collected by the Children of Israel in the Sinai	16 cm	Southern UK, Europe, migrate across Mediterranean to North Africa. Habitat: rough grassland, cropland with grass tussocks
Excalfactoria	E. chinensis	Chinese painted quail, king quail, blue breasted quail: female, like other female quail, brownish, but male brilliant blue eye stripe, neck and flank. Black neck and white collar	13 cm	SE Asia and Australia. Habitat: grass and scrub
The partridges, francolins and snowcocks – all medium-sized birds with fairly short tails. A few species have tarsal spurs.
Rollulus	R. rollulus	The Roul Roul, partridge, crested green wood partridge, crowned wood partridge, green partridge: upper parts of body bright green. Only male has pronounced chestnut crest with iridescent black/blue breast and wing coverts. Female mostly green with brown wings	28 cm	Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo. Habitat: dense tropical forest but prefers drier more open clearings. Up to 1500 m elevation
Perdrix	P. perdrix	Common or grey partridge: upper parts brown streaked black and white, brownish wing coverts. Face and throat orange/brown. Male has brown inverted horseshoe markings on breast	28 cm	UK, most of Europe except southern Spain, Sicily and Sardinia, across to central Asia. Introduced to North America. Habitat: pastures, moorland, cultivated land, wasteland, sand dunes, semi-desert, shingle
Alectoris	A. rufa subspecies A. graeca	Red-legged partridge: distinguished from above species by white eye stripe, white throat, mottled black ‘bib’. Red bill and red legs	34 cm	SW Europe, southern UK, introduced to UK, Azores, Madeira, Canary Isles and North America as a game bird. Habitat: lowland scrub, drier land and heath. Dry cultivated land
	A. chukar	Chukar partridge: upper parts grey brown, flanks noticeably barred black and white	36 cm	Asia and Asia Minor. Introduced to North America as a game bird. Habitat: similar to A. rufa
Francolinus (circa 41 species)	F. francolinus	Black francolin: a brownish bird, the male has black under parts markedly white flecked, also white cheeks	36 cm	Cyprus, Syria, Iran to Pakistan, India and Assam. Introduced to Louisiana and southern Florida. Habitat: grass and cropland
Tetraogallus	T. himalayensis	Himalayan snowcock: all snowcocks (5 species and many subspecies) are very large partridge-like birds	71 cm	Himalayas up to 6000 m, Afghanistan, India, western China. Introduced to mountainous areas of North America. Habitat: steep stone-covered slopes with sparse vegetation, alpine meadow
Lerwa	L. lerwa	Snow partridge: body form like other partridge but slightly longer. Tail plumage grey brown faintly barred white. Breast deep chestnut streaked white	35 cm	Himalayas up to 5000 m, Pakistan, India, Tibet, western China. Habitat: alpine meadow, rocky slopes above tree line

b. Family: Odontophoridae (9 genera, 31 species)
The New World quail. Small compact birds with a short bill that shows a serrated or toothed mandible. The fourth digit (the hallux) is above the level of the other digits. There are no tarsal spurs. Many species have a prominent plume on the forehead. Generally somewhat larger than Old World quail, to which they are quite unrelated.
Lophortyx	L. californicus	Californian quail, valley quail, crested quail: small pigeon-sized bird. Brownish grey upper breast, under parts flecked white, black throat, white collar, prominent teardrop-shaped plume	25 cm	Western North America, West of the Rockies to southern California. Introduced New Zealand, Chile, Hawaii, Canada. Habitat: low tree shrub, open ground with low cover, city parks, sage brush
Callipepla	C. squamata	Scaled quail, blue quail: greyish brown. Tinge of blue from scaled breast and neck. Crest not typical quail type, more triangular and white tipped	24 cm	SW North America and Mexico. Introduced to Washington State and Nevada. Habitat: barren semi-desert and scrubby grassland
Collinus	C. virginianus	Bobwhite quail: brownish with distinct white flecking and scaling on breast and flanks, white throat, white eye stripe, crest not well developed	23–27 cm	SE Canada to Mid West and eastern North America to Mexico and Central America. Introduced to Britain and New Zealand. Habitat: scrub, open farmland, cities, road sides, derelict land

c. Family: Numididae (4 genera, 7 species)
The guinea fowl: there are four genera and seven species, all of which are found only on continental Africa and the adjacent island of Madagascar. All are medium-sized birds tending to be rather plump and heavy bodied with a fairly long neck, which together with the head is naked and the skin variously coloured. Some species have casques (e.g. helmeted and tufted guinea fowl) or occipital feather crests or wattles. Their plumage is mostly dark or grey. The tail of guinea fowl is small and drooping. Although mainly terrestrial birds that tend to run rather than walk, the guinea fowl can fly quite strongly.
Acryllium	A. vulturinum	Vulturine guinea fowl, so-called because it looks rather like a vulture with an almost vulturine bill. Black spotted white, underparts cobalt blue. Marked cape around neck of streaked black and white feathers	58 cm	Southern Somalia, eastern Uganda, Kenya, NE Tanzania. Habitat: desert, thorn scrub, occasional forest
Numida	N. meleagris subspecies N. meleagris mitrata	Tufted guinea fowl, helmeted or hooded guinea fowl: 20 subspecies occur regionally. Very noisy birds which often have been used as good watchkeepers. Domesticated by the Romans circa fourth century BC	56 cm	Most of Africa from Cameroon to Central Africa, Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zaire, Angola, South Africa. Habitat: dry thorn, bush, grassland and cultivation