The ring-necked pheasant is native to Asia and has been introduced throughout the world as a gamebird, and here in Hawaiʻi in the 1860s. At about 30 inches in length, the males are a bright gold with chest-nut brown feathers with species of iridescent green and purple. Their head is a dark metallic green with a red wattle. The females are drab brown with darker spots. Due to their attractive feathers, local feather workers fashion luxurious hatbands to adorn paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) hats.

The map below shows hotspots along our birding trails where you might see this bird.