JUN 1 
1966 
mw 
MONTHLY WILDLIFE RESEARCH LETTER 
Department of Conservation and Natural History Survey, Cooperating 
Glen C. Sanderson and Helen C. Schultz, Editors 
Urbana, Illinois 
April, I966 
Vo 1 . 9 , No . 4 
Pheasant Populations and Land Use 
W. J. Francis, S. L. Etter 
The majority of marked pheasants on the Sibley Study Area moved less than £ 
mi e between times of successive observations during the winter of 1964-65 (Table 
!'* th ® 716 movements recorded from the end of the hunting season in 1964 
(December 20) until the onset of establishment of territory in early April, I 965 , 
° n y . (24.5 percent) exceeded £ mile. This pattern of relatively limited move¬ 
ment is urther evidenced by the fact that maximum distances moved between times 
of successive observations exceeded 1 mile for only I 9 of 76 individual pheasants 
observed five or more times each during this period (Table 2). 
Although more precise data are necessary to evaluate the relationships between 
movements and food and cover requirements, the data presented above suggest that 
suitable wintering areas for pheasants must provide, within an area of £ section 
or less, for all requirements of the birds. This factor should be taken into 
account in any attempts to manage or improve winter habitat. 
Table 1. Number of observations of marked pheasants moving specified distances 
during periods between successive observations, winter, 1964-65, Sibley Study Area. 
o-i 
Number of Observations 
Each Category of Miles 
h-z 2 -I 1-2 2-3 3-4 
for 
Moved 
4-5 
5+ 
Total 
Number of 
Observations 
Tota 1 
Number of 
1 nd i viduals 
Adu 1 1 d& 
9 
2 
2 
13 
5 
Adult 99 
327 
57 
38 
11 
00 
Va> 
3 
1 
448 
116 
Juvenile dtr 
76 
5 
8 
2 
1 
l 
93 
19 
Juveni 1 e 99 
128 
17 
9 
2 
4 1 
1 
162 
35 
Tota 1 
540 
81 
57 
15 
13 4 
4 
2 
716 
175 
> 
