MONTHLY WILDLIFE RESEARCH LETTER 
HHlonMi. UidiU 
Department of Conservation and Natural History Survey, Cooperat i n^ ,c ' 
Glen C. Sanderson and Helen C. Schultz, Editors 
Urbana, 111inois 
August, 1967 
Vol. 10, No. 8 
l. Pheasant Populations and Land Use 
S. L. Etter 
During the summers of 1962-64, 575 pheasant broods from 3 through 9 weeks 
of age were judged to be completely counted on the Sibley Study Area. The 
number of complete broods in each age-class varied from 52 at 9 weeks to 104 
at 5 weeks. The mean brood sizes at 3 through 9 weeks of age were 5*lj 5-5, 
5-8, 5-4, 4.8, 5.4 and 5*3 chicks, respectively. Too few broods younger than 
3 weeks or older than 9 weeks were observed to determine mean brood sizes. These 
data fail to demonstrate any tendency for brood size to decline with increasing 
age. Thus it appears that chick mortality during this period (3 to 9 weeks) 
is siight. 
The nesting studies conducted during the same 3 years, however, indicated 
that the mean number of chicks hatching in 183 successful nests was 8.8. These 
data indicate that chick mortality in excess of 3 chicks per brood occurs prior 
to the time the chicks reach 3 weeks of age. It appears, therefore, that the 
mortality rate of chicks is high shortly after hatching, but decreases rapidly 
with increasing age. 
2. Manipulation of Pheasant Habitat G. B. Joselyn 
Densities of pheasant nests in 1 967 on seeded roadside plots (2.1 nests 
per acre) and on managed control roadside plots (1.6 nests per acre) represented 
the lowest establishment rates on both types of roadsides during any of the past 
5 years. Rates of nest establishment on seeded roadsides have varied from a low 
(previous to this year) of 2.6 nests per acre in 1965 to a high of 3*8 nests per 
acre in 1964; on managed control plots, nest densities have decreased each year 
since 1 963 (2.8 nests per acre), with establishment rates of 1.7 nests per acre 
occurring in both 1 965 and 1 966 . 
Over the 5~year period, 268 nests have been established on seeded roadsides 
(2.9 nests per acre), compared with 181 nests on managed control plots (2.0 
nests per acre). 
3* Factors Inf1uencinq Pistribution and Abundance of Pheasants W. L. Anderson 
Hen pheasants were collected during May and June 1967 in Ford and Livingston 
counties and were dissected to gain insight into the general physical condition 
and reproductive status of pheasants during the laying and incubating periods. 
Counts of ruptured f ollicles in ovaries of 12 laying hens suggested that the 
"average" hen began laying April 26 (range April 10-May 15). The estimated 
dates on which laying began were arrived at by allowing 1.3 days for each egg 
(ruptured follicle) laid. The number of ruptured follicles counted in ovaries 
of 12 incubating hens averaged 30 * 8 , indicating that the "average" hen laid 31 
