monthly wildlife research letter 
Department of Conservation and Natural History Survey, Cooperating 
Glen C. Sanderson and Helen C. Schultz, Editors 
Urbana, Illinois May, 1965 Vol . 8, No. 5 
1. Pheasant Populations and Land Use S. L. Etter 
Roadside observations of the behavior of pheasants on the Sibley Study Area 
Indicate that the peak of breeding in 1965 probably occurred the week of May 7^3- 
During this week nearly 50 percent of all groups of pheasants observed were harems, 
the highest percent since cocks began establishing territories in early April. 
The peak of breeding in 1965 occurred during the same week as in 1964 and 1 and 2 
weeks later than the peaks in 1963 a nd 1962, respectively. The delay in reaching 
this stage in reproductive behavior in 1965 may have been the result of a delay in 
the onset of the establishment of cock territories. Cocks apparently did not 
establish territories until the week of April 2-8 in 1965 * probably because of the 
heavy snowfall in March, which tended to maintain winter flocks. In 1962, ^ 96 3, 
and 1964 cocks began to establish territories the weeks of March 12-18, March 5~ > 
and March 26-April 1, respectively. 
The peak of nest establishment in 1965, as indicated by a sharp increase in 
the percent of all groups observed that were unisexual groups of hens, probably 
occurred the week of May 14-20. The peaks of unisexual groups of hens occurred 
the weeks of May 21-27, May 7-13, and May 14-20 in 1962, 1963, and 1964, respec¬ 
tively. The peaks of nest establishment, based on the peaks of unisexual groups 
of hens, were in good agreement with the dates of establishment of nests found on 
the sample plots during the nesting seasons of 1962, 1963, and 1964. 
2. Manipulation of Pheasant Habitat 6. B. Joselyn 
As part of an extensive habitat manipulation program, the periodic mowing of 
a 1-yard strip of vegetation along the road edges of seeded plots to improve their 
appearance may be desirable or even necessary from the standpoint of public 
relations. Therefore, some assessment of the distribution of the nests on the 
roadside plots must be made so that in future management programs these strips may 
be mowed in such a way as to have a minimum effect on nesting. 
Data from pheasant nests located on seeded roadside plots show that during 
both I 963 and 1964 the average distance of pheasant nests from the road edges for 
plots without fences was less than for plots with fences (Table 1). The average 
distance of nests from the road edges on plots with fences remained almost constant 
during both years, but was variable on plots without fences. 
The data show that establishment of nests tended to be closer to the read edges 
in 1964 than in 1 96 3- Thus, in 1 96 3, 20.5 percent of the 44 nests located on seeded 
plots were established between 0.0 and 8.7 feet from the road edges, compared with 
wm Hismy survey 
JUN 7 W65 
IIQDADU 
