Vo 1. 19 , No. 3 
Page 3 
Responses of Prairie Chickens to Habitat Manipulation 
R. L. Westemeier, 
D. R. Vance 
In addition to the harassment of prairie chickens on booming grounds by 
cock pheasants (HV/RL 19(2):2-3), interference with nesting activities of 
prairie chicken hens by hen pheasants also occurs. Some observations of 
this mterspec.es conflict were noted in MWRL 18(6) :3. We have compiled 
additional observations on nest parasitism of prairie chickens by pheasants 
on the sanctuaries at Bogota. 
Since 1969 , 13 (3 percent) of a total of 446 prairie chicken nests have 
been parasitized by pheasants. Three (23 percent) of these 13 nests were 
successful. Eight of the nests were destroyed and two were abandoned (77 
percent unsuccessful). ' x/ 
In contrast, of the 433 nonparasitized prairie chicken nests, 216 
(50 percent) were successful. 
No parasitized nests were found prior to I 970 . In the years 1970-72 
one parasitized nest was found each year. Ten parasitized nests have been 
found in the past 3 years (four in 1973, two in 1974, and four in 1975). As 
the number of Parasitized nests increases, they constitute a growing proportion 
(7 percent in 1975?) of the declining number of prairie chicken nests. 
We believe that this parasitism Ls cause for concern. The incidence of 
parasitism is apparently increasing, as is the pheasant population. Para¬ 
sitized nests are markedly less successful than nonparasitized nests. Con- 
sequent y , parasitism of prairie chicken nests by hen pheasants has limited- 
nd will probably continue to limit to some extent —the production of young 
