Pheasant, grouse, partridge, turkey, and peacock are among the five most delicious game birds that humans have been using for a long time to substitute chicken meat. Unlike the chicken, which has been domesticated for decades, these game birds live in the wild which means they must be hunted to be used as food.
The similarities between these birds are that they are all fowls (both land and game) and that they lay eggs, period! Otherwise, each of these birds is unique in its own way. My grandpa used to take me hunting for turkey when I visited him in Wisconsin. It was during this trip that I first began to learn about these birds and since then, I have learned a ton that I am happy to share.
In fact, I still have souvenirs for the game bird hunts we went to. In our article today, we shall be comparing pheasant to chicken (land fowl), grouse, partridge, turkey, and peacock by looking at a number of factors including size, diet, habitat, color, and Colors.
Table of Contents
Pheasant vs. Chicken
Pheasant is a general term that consists of 49 species and many sub-species in the family Phasianidae while chicken is a subspecies of the red junglefowl.
The table below shows the difference between pheasants and chicken
Features | Pheasant | Chicken |
Weight | 2 ½ lbs. | 5.7 lbs. |
Size | Male: 60 to 89 cmFemale: 50 to 63 cm | 70 cm on average |
Colors | Barred bright gold, fiery copper-red, and chestnut-brown with an iridescent sheen of purple & green | Cuckoo, white, Columbian, golden cuckoo, black, wheaten, black-tailed buff, & birchen |
Wing Coverage | Cream or white, black-barred markings on the tail | Based on colors |
Habitat | Grasslands, shrublands, hay lands, idle fields, and croplands | Farms & backyards |
Diet | Grains, berries, small animals, insects, and seeds | Veggies, grains, a variety of fruits, table scraps, wild seeds, earthworms, & insects |
Sleeping Habits | Trees or Shrubs (warm months)Overgrown marshes (in fall) | Perching on a roost |
Life Expectancy | Up to 3 years on average | 5 to 10 years on average |
Offspring | More than 12 eggs at a time | 1 egg per day |
Table 1: Pheasant vs. ChickenThe table below shows the difference between pheasants and chicken
Pheasant vs. Grouse
While pheasant is a fowl in the family Phasianidae, the grouse is a sub-family of fowls.
The table below shows the differences between pheasants and grouse
Features | Pheasant | Grouse |
Weight | 2 ½ lbs. | 530g (smallest)to 6.5 lbs. (largest) |
Size | Male: 60 to 89 cmFemale: 50 to 63 cm | 28 to 51 cm |
Colors | Barred bright gold, fiery copper-red, and chestnut-brown with an iridescent sheen of purple & green | Gray, brown, red, split, and intermediate |
Wing Coverage | Cream or white, black-barred markings on the tail | Depends on the type of grouse – ruffed, dusky, gray, blue… |
Habitat | Grasslands, shrublands, hay lands, idle fields, and croplands | Young aspen forests, bushlands, dense tree stands, oak, & lowland brush |
Diet | Grains, berries, small animals, insects, and seeds | Leaves, insects, berries, woody plants, buds, seeds, shrubs, & fruits |
Sleeping Habits | Trees or Shrubs (warm months)Overgrown marshes (in fall) | Low tree branches |
Life Expectancy | Up to 3 years on average | Max. of 11 years (av. of 7 to 8 years) |
Offspring | More than 12 eggs at a time | 4 to 8 eggs every 1 ½ days |
Table 2: Pheasant vs. Grouse
Partridge vs. Pheasant
Partridge refers to any fowl of a number of genera in the family Phasianidae (especially Alectoris & perdix).
The table below shows the differences between Pheasants and Partridges:
Features | Pheasant | Partridge |
Weight | 2 ½ lbs. | 0.75 lbs. |
Size | Male: 60 to 89 cmFemale: 50 to 63 cm | 30 to 35 cm |
Colors | Barred bright gold, fiery copper-red, and chestnut-brown with an iridescent sheen of purple & green | Brown, gray, and white |
Wing Coverage | Cream or white, black-barred markings on the tail | Face: tan to orange with rusty stripes on the sides |
Habitat | Grasslands, shrublands, hay lands, idle fields, and croplands | Coastal dunes, forests, rocky plains, farmlands, and grasslands |
Diet | Grains, berries, small animals, insects, and seeds | Barley, sunflower, ragweed, oats, Russian thistle, foxtail, corn, and wheat |
Sleeping Habits | Trees or Shrubs (warm months)Overgrown marshes (in fall) | On the ground tightly pressed to one another with their head outwards |
Life Expectancy | Up to 3 years on average | Maximum of 6.5 years |
Offspring | More than 12 eggs at a time | 10 to 20 eggs per clutch |
Table 3: Partridge vs. Pheasant
Pheasant vs. Turkey
A large bird native to North America, Turkey belongs to the family Phasianidae and has two existing species, including the ocellated turkey of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, and the wild turkey of eastern & central North America.
The table below shows the differences between pheasant and turkey:
Features | Pheasant | Turkey |
Weight | 2 ½ lbs. | 11 lbs. to 24 lbs. |
Size | Male: 60 to 89 cmFemale: 50 to 63 cm | Male: 100 to 120 cmFemale: 76 to 95 cm |
Colors | Barred bright gold, fiery copper-red, and chestnut-brown with an iridescent sheen of purple & green | Black with a bronze-green iridescence |
Wing Coverage | Cream or white, black-barred markings on the tail | Dark, boldly barred with white |
Habitat | Grasslands, shrublands, hay lands, idle fields, and croplands | Forage floors, swamps, and grasslands |
Diet | Grains, berries, small animals, insects, and seeds | Nuts, seeds, small insects, and seeds |
Sleeping Habits | Trees or Shrubs (warm months)Overgrown marshes (in fall) | Nests on trees at night |
Life Expectancy | Up to 3 years on average | 3 to 4 years on average (wild)10 years (domesticated) |
Offspring | More than 12 eggs at a time | 4 to 17 eggs at a time |
Table 4: Pheasant vs. Turkey
Pheasant vs. Peacock
Pheasants and peacocks belong to the family Phasianidae.
The table below shows the differences between pheasant and peacock.
Features | Pheasant | Peacock |
Weight | 2 ½ lbs. | 6.1 lbs. to 13 lbs. |
Size | Male: 60 to 89 cmFemale: 50 to 63 cm | Male: 230 cmFemale: 95 cm |
Colors | Barred bright gold, fiery copper-red, and chestnut-brown with an iridescent sheen of purple & green | Blue, Cameo, Jade, Green, White, Opal, Midnight, Charcoal, Taupe, Indigo, Peach, Purple, Bronze, Sonja’s Violeta, and Hazel |
Wing Coverage | Cream or white, black-barred markings on the tail | Body patterns: barred wing, silver pied, white-eyed, pied, and black shoulder |
Habitat | Grasslands, shrublands, hay lands, idle fields, and croplands | Bushland, farmland, forests, & warm areas with low trees |
Diet | Grains, berries, small animals, insects, and seeds | Plants, insects, ants, flies, fruits, seeds, amphibians, and snakes |
Sleeping Habits | Trees or Shrubs (warm months)Overgrown marshes (in fall) | High on trees or high shelters |
Life Expectancy | Up to 3 years on average | 25 years on average |
Offspring | More than 12 eggs at a time | 7 to 15 eggs at a time |
Table 5: Pheasant vs. Peacock
Pheasant Male and Female
Do you know the difference between the male pheasant and the female pheasant?
Feature | Male Pheasant | Female Pheasant |
Size | 60 cm to 100 cm | 60 cm to 100 cm |
Feather Color | Green, black, blue, brown, orange, cream/buff, gray, red, white, purple/pink | White, cream or buff, and brown |
Leg Color | Brown | Brown |
Wingspan | 70 cm to 90 cm | 70 cm to 90 cm |
Weight | 2 lbs. to 3 lbs. | 2 lbs. |
Beak | Curved, brown, short, yellow, chunky, and white | Brown, chunky, white, short, yellow, white, and curved |
Natural Habitats | Grassland, woodland, farmland, and urban & suburban | Grassland, woodland, urban & suburban, and farmland |
Table 6: Male Pheasant vs. Female Pheasant
Wrap-Up
Although pheasants, grouse, partridge, turkey, chicken, and peacock are all fowls, this is where the similarities and the differences begin. From the size of eggs, diets, and habitat among others, these birds (tamed and wild) have features that make them unique from each other.
By the way, if you are looking for a perfect wild meat with almost similar nutritional value to land fowl, these game birds provide your body with all the protein, fat, and calories they need to build the muscles and have a great taste. So, if you are tired of having chicken for dinner each night, you should try the scrumptious meat from one of these five game birds.
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Hi there! My name is Ben Domb, an owner of two pets and I am one of the co-founders of OurPets HQ. I have several years of experience as a pet care professional in the New England region having spent time in various roles including a stint at a veterinary hospital in Upstate New York, Syracuse area. I am a certified pet care professional and mostly spend my time researching pet nutrition and sharing my thoughts in various blogs and columns. With quarantine and COVID restrictions, I have been spending a lot of time a lot with my dogs and cat and loving it! I also run a small consulting business providing advice to parents on pet nutrition, and especially safe homemade options to try. You can reach me at ben@ourpetshq.com