2. Manipulation of Pheasant Habitat 
VoK 6, No. 4 
Page 2 
D. E. Newman 
Studies of the roosting habits of pheasants on the Sibley area during winter 
have indicated that the birds utilize different habitats for roosting when con¬ 
fronted with changes in winter weather, particularly temperature. Consequently, 
temperatures were periodically recorded from maximum-minimum thermometers placed in 
3 different microhabitats at Sibley during February and March. 
The lowest mean maximum temperature occurred in tall hay, as did the lowest 
mean difference between maximum-minimum temperatures. Table 2. The highest mean 
maximum temperature occurred in a fencerow adjacent to corn stubble; the highest 
mean difference between maximum-minimum temperatures was also recorded at this 
site. The lowest mean minimum temperature was recorded from a fencerow adjacent 
to the tall hay. The highest mean minimum value was recorded in a plowed field. 
Table 2. Temperatures (F) recorded from eight microhabitats on the Sibley 
area, February and March, 1 963 - 
Microhabitat 
Mean 
Minimum 
Mean 
Maximum 
Mean Difference 
Maximum-Minimum 
Fencerow (corn stubble) 
13.9 
47.6 
33.7 
Fencerow (hay) 
12.4 
45.2 
32.8 
Under osage tree 
12.7 
43.2 
30.4 
Oats stubble 
14.7 
A6.8 
32. 1 
Tall hay 
14.6 
39.3 
24.4 
Corn stubble 
13.7 
44.7 
31.1 
Multiflora hedge 
14.4 
45.2 
30.8 
Plowing 
15.3 
44.9 
29.6 
3 . Factors Influencing Pistribution and Abundance of Pheasants 
W. L. Anderson 
Five hundred eighty pheasants (226 cocks and 35*+ hens) were marked with back- 
tags and leg bands and released on the Neoga area during the fall and winter of 
1562-63. These birds included 220 native pheasants captured and released on the 
Neoga area during the prehunt period of l$62; and 88 wild pheasants captured in 
southeastern Champaign County, all of which were released at Neoga during March, 
I 963 . One hundred forty-one (24.3 percent) of the 580 marked pheasants were known 
to have died before April 30, 1963* Losses among the introduced strains exceeded 
those of the native birds even though the introduced pheasants were not released 
until March, Table 3* When all strains are considered collectively, there was no 
appreciable difference in mortality between the sexes. 
