Pheasant Meat: Nutrition, Breast vs Leg and Safe Cooking

Pheasant is a game bird with lean, mild meat that tastes a little richer than chicken. Is pheasant healthy? In USDA data, raw pheasant meat without skin is very lean, with about 133 calories and 3.6 grams of fat per 100 grams, and cooked pheasant meat is a high source of protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and selenium. This guide covers pheasant nutrition from USDA SR Legacy data, breast vs leg meat, how pheasant compares with chicken and other game birds, lead shot in hunted birds, and safe cooking.

Peptide Labs does not sell pheasant or game products. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.

What is pheasant meat?

The bird most Americans know is the ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus). The Missouri Department of Conservation describes it as native to Asia and introduced to North America in the 1880s, living in grasslands, hayfields and farmland. It is not on the federal list of poultry species in 9 CFR 381.1, which names chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, guineas, ratites and squabs, but CDC’s cooking advice for game birds is the same 165 degrees F it gives for poultry.

Pheasant nutrition facts

The table shows USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy values for 3 ounces (85 grams) of cooked pheasant, the entry USDA labels “cooked, total edible” (FDC 169903), with Percent Daily Values from FDA Daily Values. A value of 20% DV or more counts as high under FDA labeling rules.

USDA’s cooked entry does not say in its name whether skin is included, and its fat value (12.1 grams per 100 grams) is far above the raw meat-only entry (3.6 grams), so it may include skin. Pheasant is naturally low in sodium unless it is brined or smoked. For more on these nutrients, see foods high in niacin, foods high in vitamin B6 and B12 foods.

Pheasant breast vs leg

USDA SR Legacy lists raw breast and leg meat separately. Per 100 grams raw, without skin:

The pattern matches chicken: the more active leg muscles carry more iron and zinc, and the breast carries more niacin. With skin, raw pheasant (FDC 174472) rises to 181 calories and 9.3 grams of fat per 100 grams in USDA data, so most of the fat in a pheasant is in or under the skin.

How pheasant compares with other birds

Here is how raw pheasant meat compares with other birds in USDA SR Legacy, per 100 grams of raw meat without skin.

Raw pheasant meat is close to chicken in calories and fat, with a little more protein. Quail and goose are darker birds with much more iron. Cooked, USDA’s pheasant entry (203 calories per 3 ounces) is about the same as roasted chicken meat with skin (FDC 171450, 203 calories), while roasted chicken meat without skin has 162 calories. For more comparisons, see our goose guide, turkey guide, venison guide and the high-protein foods list.

Lead shot in hunted pheasant

Upland birds such as pheasant are often hunted with shotguns. A 2022 UK study in PLoS One used high-resolution CT scans of hunted pheasant carcasses and found small fragments under 2 millimeters, assumed to be lead, in all of the carcasses examined, with a mean of 39 per carcass. Many were too small for a cook to find and remove, and the authors concluded that people who eat game shot with lead ammunition take in more dietary lead even with careful food preparation.

That study looked at UK birds, so the numbers may not match US game. Federal rules have required nontoxic shot for waterfowl hunting since the 1991 to 1992 season, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, but that rule covers waterfowl and coots, not pheasant. If you eat hunted pheasant, ask the hunter what shot was used, and talk with a clinician about lead questions, especially for children or during pregnancy.

How to cook pheasant safely

• Temperature: CDC advises cooking meat from game birds to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, the same temperature it lists for all poultry. Check with a food thermometer.
• Bird flu and hunted birds: CDC says wild birds can carry bird flu, rates the current public health risk of H5 bird flu as low, and advises hunters not to handle birds that are obviously sick or found dead, to wear gloves and eye protection plus an N95 respirator or a well-fitting mask when dressing birds, to use dedicated tools, and to wash hands afterward.
• Cross-contamination: CDC advises keeping uncooked game separate from cooked or ready-to-eat foods and using a separate cutting board for raw meat and poultry. CDC says people most commonly get Campylobacter infection from raw or undercooked poultry.
• Leftovers: reheat to 165 degrees F, as CDC advises.

Kitchen tip: lean breast meat dries out quickly, so many cooks brine it, wrap it, or braise the legs and roast the breast separately.

So, is pheasant healthy?

In USDA data, pheasant is a lean, protein-rich game bird that supplies niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, selenium and phosphorus, with about as many calories as chicken when compared fairly. The main questions are practical: how it was cooked, whether the skin is eaten, and for hunted birds, the lead question raised by the UK study above. Poultry and game meat are not among the nine major food allergens that US labels must declare; see an allergist for unclear symptoms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Last reviewed October 2026.

Related guides: Goose Meat: Nutrition, Goose Fat and Goose vs Duck, Duck Meat: Nutrition With and Without Skin, Iron, Duck Liver and Safety, High Protein Foods: USDA Values for Meat, Dairy and Plant Sources.