Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) Linnaeus, 1758 is the most widespread pheasant, with its native range in the Palearctic Regions. Thirty subspecies have been generally recognized subspecies from five groups, which have been occasionally afforded specific status. There is considerable geographic variation in male plumages within and between groups. In particular, variation within each group casts substantial doubt on the validity of many subspecies. Where ranges are contiguous, variation often appears clinal (including presence of white collar, intensity of plumage coloration and body size), but differences can be more abrupt between slightly isolated populations. The present study is the first investigation to disclose phylogeny of the Common Pheasant in Western parts of the Palearctic Regions (Iranian plateau). Using two mitochondrial and three nuclear loci, we constructed phylogenetic relationships between 17 nominal subspecies of the Common Pheasant. Our results suggested that P.c. principalis (White-winged Pheasant) is closely related to the P.c. tarimensis (Tarim Pheasant) and placed in the principalis-chrysomelis group: Whereas P.c. persicus, P.c. talischensis and P.c. colchicus, were clustered together forming the Black-necked Pheasants (the colchicus group) clade. Our data also indicated that the origin of Common Pheasant might be Southeast Asia

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