Vol. 5, No. 11 
Page 2 
was 3.4 nests per acre in fencexows and less than 1 nest (0.5) per acre in the re¬ 
gaining portion. 
Differences in nest density between fencerows and the remaining portion of the 
roadside were greater in manipulated plots than in control plots. The mechanical 
disturbance of habitat manipulation and the associated lack of nesting cover on the 
manipulated plots early in the nesting season may have influenced pheasants in 
their choice of nesting sites. However, variation in nest density on control plots 
between fencerows and the remaining area indicates a greater utilization, and per¬ 
haps a selection, of fencerow vegetation by nesting pheasants. 
3, Factors Influencing Distribution and Abundance of Pheasants 
W, L. Anderson, J. A. Harper 
Calcium analysis of grit removed from the gizzards of 11 juvenile pheasants 
6-8 weeks old on the Sibley area revealed that grit in the gizzard contained 4.9 
percent calcium (Table 2). Analysis of the food items from the crops of these birds 
indicated an additional 0.32 percent calcium. The level of calcium in the contents 
of the gizzards of these wild juvenile pheasants is greater than the 1.5 percent 
reported to be needed in the diet of pen-reared juvenile pheasants. Nutritional 
requirements of penned juveniles may be lower than those of young pheasants in wild 
populations. 
Table 2. Calcium contents of calcareous grit from gizzards of 127 juvenile 
pheasants from the Sibley study area, 1961-62. Sample sizes in parentheses. 
Age of 
Birds 
(Months) 
Average Weight 
of Grit 
( g ) 
Percentage of 
Calcite in 
Grit 
Percentage of 
Calcium in 
Grit 
Mg of Calcium 
per Kg 
Body Weight 
2 * ( 11 ) 
2.8 
13.9 
4.9 
500.0 
3t ( 16 ) 
2.2 
3.1 
1.1 
96.0 
4 ( 12 ) 
2.5 
0.7 
0.3 
10.4 
5 ( 10 ) 
2.1 
0.4 
0.1 
4.2 
6 ( 35 ) 
2.7 
0.5 
0.2 
6.9 
7 ( 18 ) 
2.8 
0.2 
0.1 
2.8 
8 ( 8 ) 
3.1 
Tr 
Tr 
Tr 
9 ( 9 ) 
4.7 
Tr 
Tr 
Tr 
10 ( 8 ) 
4.1 
Tr 
Tr 
Tr 
Average 
3.0 
2.1 
0.7 
68.9 
6-8 weeks 
t 9-12 weeks 
4. Rabbit Management w. R. Edwards, D. A. Casteel 
Trapping and marking cottontails for the preseason census of the Allerton Park 
study areas was completed November 13. The drive census took place November 18. 
