Phasianidae

Phasianidae Temporal range: Oligocene-Recent, 30–0 Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Satyr tragopan
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Galliformes
Superfamily:	Phasianoidea
Family:	Phasianidae Horsfield, 1821
Type species
Phasianus colchicus Linnaeus, 1758
Genera
Subfamily Phasianinae Ithaginis Tragopan Pucrasia Gallus Lophura Crossoptilon Catreus Syrmaticus Phasianus Chrysolophus Polyplectron Lophophorus Rheinartia Argusianus Pavo Afropavo Subfamily Meleagridinae Meleagris Subfamily Perdicinae Coturnix Anurophasis Perdicula Ophrysia Francolinus Peliperdix Dendroperdix Scleroptila Pternistis Lerwa Tetraophasis Alectoris Ammoperdix Perdix Rhizothera Margaroperdix Melanoperdix Xenoperdix Arborophila Caloperdix Haematortyx Rollulus Bambusicola Tetraogallus Galloperdix Subfamily Tetraoninae Falcipennis Dendragapus Lagopus Tetrao Tetrastes Bonasa Centrocercus Tympanuchus

The Phasianidae are a family of heavy, groundliving birds which includes pheasants, partridges, junglefowl, chickens, Old World quail, and peafowl. The family includes many of the most popular gamebirds. The family is a large one, and is occasionally broken up into two subfamilies, the Phasianinae, and the Perdicinae. Sometimes, additional families and birds are treated as part of this family. For example, the American Ornithologists' Union includes Tetraonidae (grouse), Numididae (guineafowl), and Meleagrididae (turkeys) as subfamilies in Phasianidae.

The clade Phasianidae is the largest of the branch Galliformes, comprising more than 150 species. This group includes the pheasants and partridges, junglefowl chickens, quail and peafowl. Turkeys and grouse have also been recognized as having their origins in the pheasant- and partridge-like birds.

Until the early 1990s, this family was broken up into two subfamilies: the Phasianinae, including pheasants, tragopans, junglefowls, and peafowls; and the Perdicinae, including partridges, Old World quails, and francolins.Molecular phylogenies have shown that these two subfamilies are not each monophyletic but actually constitute only one lineage with one common ancestor. For example, some partridges (genus Perdix) are more closely affiliated to pheasants, whereas Old World quails and partridges from the genus Alectoris are closer to junglefowls.