Pheasant

A pheasant was a common animal of the Realms, and their flesh was often cooked and eaten. "I know exactly what I need, and it involves large and plentiful quantities of roasted pheasant, sweet subtleties, and red Amnian wine. And soon!"

- Cormik

Description
Pheasants were small birds that were hunted, and consumed by a variety of beings. They kept to dense foliage, and squawked when frightened or surprised.

History
Circa 1345 DR, pheasants were considered common game, as were quail. Arlen and Pawldo of the Moonshae Isles managed to shoot twelve such birds with their bows and arrows over the course of a few days.

Habitats
They were known to dwell in several places in Faerûn, including Cormanthor, the Western Heartlands, the Moonshae Isles, Cormyr, Sembia, the Dales, and the North.

During the winter, they would gather beneath clumps of shrubs, such as huckleberry bushes, for warmth.

Relationships
Pheasants were hunted not only by humans, but also by monsters such as stirges. Once caught by more civilized races, they were hung and left to bleed, and then cleaned. The pheasants could then be cooked in a variety of ways. For example, they were used in soups like pheasant tail soup, named for the three pheasant feathers stood upright beside the bowl as adornment. As pheasants were not always available, other game fowl and even rodents might be substituted in the stock. As well as soups, the cooked bird flesh could be used to fill the inside of pies, as were served at the Sleeping Cat restaurant. Another method was to roast the bird on a skewer. Locals of Swords Meet claimed that pheasant, which was roasted to crackling, served alongside apples, dark applecake, and a layer of mushrooms was a most rare delicacy. After being cooked, they were sometimes covered in gravy. Pheasant and other fowl could even be used as stuffing for roasts of other beasts, as in Fendarl's Gate.

Envoys of Alustriel Silverhand were known to bestow skewers of roast pheasant and wine upon parties venturing out of Silverymoon.

Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue sold pheasant feathers in bundles of five for 3 silver pieces. Maerlbar Eggs & Fresh Fowl sold live, plucked, and lightly roasted pheasants.

Rumors and Legends
The hunters of Silverymoon believed in a mythical "silver pheasant".

Appearances

 * Novels
 * Darkwalker on Moonshae • Spellfire • Realms of Infamy: "The Meaning of Lore" • All Shadows Fled • Curse of the Shadowmage • Stormlight • Finder's Bane • The Simbul's Gift • The Temptation of Elminster • The Halls of Stormweather • Frostfell • Unholy • The Captive Flame


 * Sword Play • Cormyr: A Novel • Elminster's Daughter • Ghostwalker


 * Video Games
 * Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn • Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition • Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear