Size and Weight 
The South Korean ringneck is larger than the ringneck originally 
introducted into the United States. Adult males weigh between 2 ibs. 12 
oz. to 3 lbs., and females range from 2 lbs. to 2 lbs. 12 oz. 
Habitat and Cover Preferences 
The Korean peninsula is not large. With its adjacent islands, it 
consists of about 85,200 square miles. This is an area roughly the size 
of Minnesota, or Pennsylvania and Ohio combined. The general character- 
istic of Korean topography is one of mountains and hills interspersed 
with small river plains. The most rugged and the highest mountains are 
located in the northern third of the peninsula. Mountains generally are 
lower and less extensive in the south. Eastern and southern coasts are 
characterized by steep headlands which are occasionally separated by 
small alluvial plains created by rivers. 
South Korean ring-necked pheasants occur as common residents from 
sea level up to about 2,000 feet in elevation, They are common in the 
plains, canyon valleys, and adjacent brushy areas and open forests. This 
ringneck thrives as a bird of brushlands and sparse mountain-forest areas 
where cultivated fields are found nearby. According to Taka-Tsukasa (18) 
additional populations are found in mountainous districts largely devoid 
of croplands where they subsist primarily on wild vegetation. In the 
war-mined area along the 38th parallel, sizable populations of pheasants 
are reported to live with little or no association to agriculture. 
Mountainous vegetation in inhabited areas of South Korea has been 
largely destroyed, resulting today in barren, and denuded hills. Grass, 
brushlands, and scattered mixed forests may be found in more favorable 
locations. Usually rice and dry land crops are grown on the lowlands 
and lower slopes, while brush and grass dominate the lower mountainous 
elevations. Some forests still exist on the higher ridges. 
In the central part of South Korea, oaks and alders with some 
conifers are common vegetation types over the countryside, Further 
south, warmer climate results in scattered patches of bamboo and pine, 
although most of the vegetation is deciduous. 
The Korean lowlands make up only about one-fifth of the largely 
mountainous peninsula with interior rivers producing smaller valleys, 
all of which are intensely cultivated. In west-central Korea the 
capital city of Seoul is surrounded by rich agricultural land with a 
population density of over 640 persons per square mile. Rice, wheat, 
barley and other grains, soybeans, and potatoes constitute the main 
agricultural crops. These farmlands with nearby open brushy and wooded 
areas provide the most productive overall habitat for the South Korean 
ring-necked pheasant. 
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