MONTHLY WILDLIFE RESEARCH LETTER 
Department of Conservation and Natural History Survey, Cooperating 
Glen C. Sanderson and Helen C. Schultz, Editors 
Urbana, Illinois November, 1964 Vol. 7, No. 11 
1 . Pheasan t Popu 1 at ions and Land Us_e S . L . E 11 er 
A ratio of 3-0 young pheasants (both sexes) per adult hen was found among 
507 pheasants captured on the Sibley Study Area during October and early November, 
1964, whereas a ratio of 3-4 young per adult hen was found among 1,001 pheasants 
captured during the same period in 1963- In 1964, age ratios within sexes were 
1.5 young hens per adult hen and 6.6 young cocks per adult cock; comparable 
figures for 1963 were 1-7 for hens and 9-6 for cocks. The 1964 sample of 507 
pheasants was comprised of 40.6 percent cocks and 59-4 percent hens. Percentages 
of cocks within age groups were 18.4 for adults and 49-7 for juveniles (14.9 a nd 
49.6 in 1963)* 
These data suggest a lower rate of production in 1964 than in 1963 and/or a 
lower rate of adult hen mortality in late summer and early fall of 1964 than during 
the same period in 1963- However, it appears from the data on nesting success and 
numbers of broods observed along standardized routes during both years (Monthly 
Wildlife Research Letters; August, September, October; 1 96 3, 1964) that production 
was considerably lower in 1964 than is indicated by the ratio of juvenile pheasants 
per adult hen in the fall trapping sample. The lower ratio of juvenile cocks per 
adult cock in 1964 and the higher percentage of cocks among adult pheasants also 
suggest that the low rate of production during 1964 was partially masked by a 
higher rather than a lower rate of adult hen mortality. 
2. Manipulation of Pheasant Habitat G. B. Joselyn 
The densities of established nests on seeded roadside plots were compared 
with corresponding data obtained from 100, 10-acre plots on the Sibley Study Area 
during 1 96 3 and 1964 (Table 1). The rate of nest establishment on seeded road¬ 
side plots in 1963 (291 nests per 100 acres) was exceeded only by those which 
occurred in unharvested tame hay (322 nests per 100 acres) and harvested tame hay 
(310 nests per 100 acres); on a per acre basis, all other cover types had lower 
nest densities. 
In 1964, seeded roadsides far exceeded all other cover types in rate of nest 
establishment (381 nests per 100 acres). The cover type having the second highest 
rate was unharvested tame hay, with 281 nests per 100 acres. Next, in descending 
order, were strip cover, harvested tame hay, small grains, pastures, and nonagri- 
cultural areas, with 218, 187, 61, 50 , and 20 nests per 100 acres, respectively. 
UTIL'l SURVEY 
DEC 10 1964 
LIMUM 
