Table 4. Average number of days with snowfall in the range 
of the South Korean ring-necked pheasant 

REE SPEEA DS AES SE) SE TEE REESE 

South “Korea No.days No.days 
falling on ground 
Seoul (northwest - interior) 33 29 
Kangnung (northeast coast) 26 39 
Inchon (west central coast) 30 21 
Mokpo (southwest) 35 16 
Taegu (southeast - interior) aby, 8 
Pusan (southeast) 18 2 
Cheju Do and Tsushima Islands rare 

Food and Water 
Like the ringneck of the United States, the South Korean ringneck 
is an omnivorous feeder, taking a wide variety of plant and insect 
material. Insects are taken heavily in summer and fall. According to 
Taka-Tsukasa (18) fruits, grass seeds, young shoots, chestnuts, acorns, 
grains from croplands, soybeans, and red beans are eaten. Insect matter 
varies from grasshoppers to ants, while also reported taken are field mice, 
small reptiles, snails and earthworms. Like all ringnecks this pheasant 
may scratch vigorously in its search for food, 
Where pheasants live near agricultural fields they feed on gleanings 
from crops, as well as on weeds and insects. Austin (3) reports that 
even after the Koreans have swept the ground surfaces clean of all 
cover, the pheasants remain in good body condition with crops full of 
various plant materials. Dr. T. Mori, as noted by Taka-Tsukasa (18), 
has observed that those birds inhabiting mountainous districts away from 
croplands can subsist on wild vegetation and insects. The weeds and 
insects taken by this pheasant are reported as benefiting forest trees. 
Taka-Tsukasa (18), again citing Dr. T. Mori, gives the following 
indication of the seasonal feeding cycle of the South Korean ringneck. 
During the spring it feeds in or adjacent to available agricultural 
fields. In summer the diet turns more to insects and other animal matter 
and autumn feeding centers on wild feeds and gleanings from domestic 
crops. Fields of rice or soybeans are favorite feeding areas. These are 
frequented both in the morning and early evening. In winter, large 
numbers of pheasant are normally seen feeding in farmland fields where 
they glean fallen grains such as rice, millet, barley, oats and buckwheat. 
Where available, grain sorghum, corn, Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, 
soybeans and other legume crops may be utilized. 
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