Melanistic Mutant Pheasant
Discovered and developed in England over 100 years ago, Melanistic Mutant Pheasants are a ‘mutant’ variety of the Ringneck Pheasant. They were first seen in the area of Norfolk, England in 1880, but were not specifically bred until the 1920’s when a group of hens of this same dark coloration were secured.
The Melanistic Mutant is one of the best known pheasants for survival in the wild. This breed is large with luminous greenish-black plumage that changes according to the angle of observation. They are a pure breed and must be bred together to produce another mutant.
The habitat for the Melanistic Mutant is between 55 and 70% crop fields. The rest of the habitat should be wetlands, grasslands and bushy thickets.