The Green Pheasant - Phasianus versicolor - Endemic to Japan and also known as Japanese Pheasant is closely related to the Common Pheasant - Phasianus colchicus. The male is distinguished by dark green breast and mantle, violet neck, red bare facial skin and purplish green tail. The female is smaller than male, and has a dull brown plumage with dark spots. Adult plumage is attained the first year.

The Green Pheasant is the National bird of Japan. This species is common and widespread throughout its native range. It frequents farmlands and is often seen close to human settlements. They were introduced to the Hawaiian Islands and to western Europe. The populations in western Europe have bred with the common pheasant for a number of years and no pure Green Pheasant exist there any longer.

They fly well, with rapid wing beats and may reach 35 to 45 miles per hour. They are not long distance flyers, several hundred yards is about average. The pheasant's leg muscles are well adapted for running, and this is the bird's primary method for evading danger. 

The Green Pheasant reaches sexual maturity in the first year and the breeding season is from April to early June. As spring approaches,  the lengthening days stimulate courtship behavior and males claim territories. Within these areas, the males strut and crow, tolerating no intrusion by other males.

When a hen is attracted to a males territory, he approaches her, tilts his body toward her, spreads his tail feathers, and extends one wing downward. His head is held low with ear tufts erect and neck feathers flared. The wattles on the sides of his head turn a vivid shade of red and swell until they nearly touch on top of the head.

As the nesting season approaches, hens select a male with which they will breed. The male will gather as many hens as possible into a "harem." After fertilization takes place, courtship ends. The hen chooses a nest site, lays and incubates the eggs, and broods the chicks with no help from the male.

The nest consist of a small depressions on the ground lined with plant material, down, and feathers. The hen lays eggs at a rate of about one per day. Between 6 to 12 olive eggs are laid and incubated for between 23 to 25 days. Chicks are capable of leaving the nest soon after hatching and the hen will lead the brood away from the nest as soon as they are dry.

Green Pheasant's diet consist of seeds, insects, fruits, and other plant material.

Adult males molt in late July and early August and become quite secretive.