MONTHLY WILDLIFE RESEARCH LETTER 
Department of Conservation and Natural History Survey, Cooperating 
T. G. Scott and Wendy Patton, Editors 
Urbana, Illinois 
May 1962 
Vol. 5, No. 5 
1. Pheasant Populations and Land Use J. E. Warnock 
The average number of cock calls recorded per 2-minute stop during periods of 
peak crowing (early May) in the past 6 years is not directly proportional to the 
total number of cocks in winter populations or to the percentage of cocks in post¬ 
hunting populations, table 1. 
The rate of crowing may increase with increased abundance of cocks to a level 
where social factors regulate the average rate of crowing per cock. The relation¬ 
ship between cock abundance and frequency of crowing merits detailed study to estab 
list the reliability of the cock-call count as a census technique for various 
population densities. 
Table 1.—Abundance of cock pheasants, the posthunt sex ratio, and the maximum 
frequency of cock calls recorded per 2-minute stop on the Sibley study area, 
1957-62. 
Year 
Number of Birds* 
in Winter 
Population 
Number of Cocks 
in Winter 
Population 
Percentage of** 
Cocks in Winter 
Population 
Number of Cock Call 
Per 2-minute Stop 
During Period of 
Maximum Crowing 
1957 
2,264 
420 
19.0 
34.1 
1958 
2,879 
1,039 
36.1 
37.3 
1959 
— 
— 
22.8 
39.9 
1960 
3,244 
684 
21.1 
37.1 
1961 
— 
— 
21.7 
54.1 
1962 
— 
— 
14.1 
38.2 
* Aerial census 
** Roadside observations 
3. Manipulation of Pheasant Habitat D. E. Newman 
Twenty-four, l/4-mile plots and eight, l/8-mile plots along 7 miles of roadway 
(both sides) on the Sibley area were manipulated and planted to a grass-legume 
mixture during April and May. A comparable number of plots were left undisturbed 
to serve as control areas. The grass-legume plantings on the roadside areas have 
m 1 3 1962 
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