What does the Ring-necked Pheasant song sound like?

Phasianus colchicus

Song Common

Play the real Ring-necked Pheasant song, the "koor-KAA! kaawk", and learn what to listen for.

“koor-KAA! kaawk”

What the Ring-necked Pheasant song sounds like

Loud, two-syllable crow followed by rapid wing-whir; given from elevated perch at dawn and dusk in breeding season.

“koor-KAA! kaawk”

Birders often file this one under Crowing Display.

How to find the bird singing it

Mixed farmland, grasslands, weedy field margins, hedgerows, and marsh edges; prefers mosaic of tall cover for roosting and open ground for feeding.

Male’s White Neck Ring: Bright white collar sharply separates bronzy body from iridescent green head.
Iridescent Green Head & Red Wattles: Glossy bottle-green head with bare scarlet facial wattles and yellow eye skin.
Long, Barred Tail: Tail makes up half the bird’s length; buff with dark barring, held level in flight.

When you'll hear it

Spring

Males crow, wing-whirr, and spar for territories; hens begin nesting in grassy cover.

Summer

Broods forage in weedy fields and edges; diet rich in insects.

Fall

Family groups join loose flocks; birds molt into crisp fresh plumage.

Winter

Seek dense cattail marshes and shelterbelts for roosting; feed in grain stubble.

Don’t confuse it with

Birds whose song gets mistaken for this one. Play them back to back.

Ring-necked Pheasant song FAQ

What does a Ring-necked Pheasant song sound like?

Loud, two-syllable crow followed by rapid wing-whir; given from elevated perch at dawn and dusk in breeding season. Birders write it as "koor-KAA! kaawk".

How do I tell a Ring-necked Pheasant from a Greater Prairie-Chicken by ear?

Greater Prairie-Chicken: Prairie-Chicken lacks long tail and white neck ring.; Shows rounded wings and buff barring in flight, versus pheasant’s pointed wings..

When is the best time to hear the Ring-necked Pheasant song?

Breeding begins in early spring when males establish territories and engage in conspicuous crowing and wing-whirring displays. Chicks hatch late spring to early summer and form broods that remain together into fall.

More Ring-necked Pheasant sounds

Ring-necked Pheasant: the full species pageEvery sound we have, field marks, habitat and similar species.How to Learn Bird Songs by Ear: A Gentle Two-Week MethodLearning bird songs by ear sounds intimidating until you realize you already know a few — that robin in your yard, the chickadee at the feeder. Here is the gentle on-ramp: seven birds to learn first, a memory trick that works even if you cannot carry a tune, and a ten-minute-a-day rhythm that turns spring noise into named neighbors.How to Learn Bird Calls Fast: A 7-Day Spring PlanYou have seven days. You want seven birds. This is the plan: one new song per day, a mnemonic per bird, ten minutes you steal from your coffee break. Sunday-to-Sunday, you walk outside and a name lands in your head before you have time to think about it.The Dawn Chorus: Which Birds Sing First Each Morning (And Why)Every morning, as the first light touches the sky, birds like the American Robin and Northern Cardinal begin their symphony. But why do they choose dawn for their most vigorous singing?