Choosing the Right Type of Game Bird

At MacFarlane Pheasants, we want to supply the best game bird possible. Although our ringnecks will always be our “go to” bird, over the years we’ve recognized that hunters – here and in Europe – look for different birds for different hunting experiences.

If you’re wondering what kind of birds to order, for what type of hunt, our website does a wonderful job of showing you the types of birds we have to offer.  This blog, however, is for a quick reference point.

Our most popular bird is still the Chinese Ringneck. The cocks weigh in between 2.7 and 3 pounds and the hens are about a pound less. They adapt well in the wild, they are raised outside at MacFarlane, and they are great flyers with good color.

In 1989 we imported pure Manchurian Ringnecks and we’ve maintained the only pure flock in the United States since that time. The Manchurian Ringnecks, with their distinctive white feather on the side of their heads, are known for their wild, fast, explosive flight.

Our Manchurian/Ringneck Cross carries a little more weight than the Chinese Ringneck and it adapts very well to the wild. It’s a great hunting bird with a little darker color than the Chinese Ringneck.

The Extra Large Ringneck carries a pound to a pound and a half more weight than the Chinese Ringneck. It’s a great meat bird and it also provides some interesting hunting challenges. These birds tend to run, rather than fly up.

We’ve partnered up with Thundering Wings Pheasant Farm of Kansas to offer the K Thunder pheasant. This is a smaller pheasant with a blue back and great quality tail. Its challenging to hunt because, since it carries the lighter weight, it flies up with an explosive burst.

The purebred Melanistic Mutant is a stunning pheasant that carries an amazing iridescent greenish black plumage. They survive and reproduce well in the wild. They carry about a half pound more of weight than the traditional Ringneck.

We also stock two types of partridge to change-up your hunting experience. The Chukar Partridge weighs about a pound and has a distinctive black and white bar pattern on the flanks. The black band running across the forehead makes it look like it’s wearing a bandit mask. This agile bird has an explosive flight.

The Chukar/Redleg Partridge is a smaller bird that holds in cover and then takes flight when flushed. They are a cross between the Chukar and the French Redleg Partridge. You can see them in light cover because they have zebra stripes on their wings.

Regardless of the game bird you pick, you can be assured that if it’s coming from MacFarlane Pheasants, it’s been acclimated to the outside and is a hardy bird that will be a hunting challenge.