 The ringneck pheasant is a common bird found in southeastern Wyoming, especially in the farming areas where flocks of these birds were introduced from China and Eurasia. Many of the birds we see in this area are raised in captivity at local bird farms and then later released in the wild for hunting enthusiasts. Males are vibrantly colored with blue-green heads, red face waddles and distinctive white neck rings. Females are a rather plain buff brown, but both sexes have long pointed tails. Females raised in captivity have shorter tails than wild birds. These beautiful birds are wily in the wild, preferring fields and farmlands with brushy cover. In natural habitats, male birds establish harems having as many as a dozen female birds. Females nest in fields or in border habitat and lay a dozen or more eggs, which they incubate with no help from the male. Young pheasants grow up quickly and can fly within two weeks. These birds are most comfortable on the ground where they forage for grains, seeds, berries and insects and prefer to run instead of fly. If startled, however, they can subtly burst upwards at a great speed with distinctive warring wing sounds. Despite their ground-dwelling preference, pheasants roost in trees at night, keeping themselves safe from predators like fox and coyotes. From the University of Wyoming Extension, I'm Ashley Garles, Exploring the Nature of Wyoming.