Chinese ring-necked pheasant; photo by Richard Bicknell/RangerRich1961 on Flickr (noncommercial use permitted with attribution / share alike).
Official State Bird of South Dakota
South Dakota designated the Chinese ring-necked pheasant as the official state bird in 1943. A ring-necked pheasant is also featured on the U.S. Mint's South Dakota quarter - All State Birds
Male ring-necked pheasants are strikingly beautiful with iridescent copper-and-gold plumage, a red face, and bright white collar on its neck. Female coloring is muted and blends in with the field habitat (basically brown with with black spotting on the sides and thin, black bars on their tails).
Ring-necked pheasants prefer to walk or run, flying only when disturbed or pursued by a predator. These birds were introduced to the United States from Asia in the 1880's. They forage on the ground for waste grain, other seeds, and insects.
