Describes what's gone wrong with the pheasant population in the Central Valley anyway.
https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=106141&inline
https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=106141&inline
Thanks for the link Cali. There's a few things that came to mind when reading through the "study".
1. As predators numbers increased through the 80's and 90's so too the pheasant populations. Why such a sudden collapse in the mid/late 90's? Is it possible that there's a increase/% reached (predators) where wild ringneck pheasants could no longer withstand?
2. What percentage of pheasants fell victim to predators today vs. the 1970's (relatively speaking)? (this requires radio collar studies)
3. Turkeys; are pheasant numbers on the decline where turkeys are not present too, or, just within areas where turkeys are inhabiting the same habitats/areas as wild pheasants?
4. When wild pheasant numbers collapsed, was there a correlation between advancements in farming implements/practices within the year or two they declined--only to never bounced back? How great was the expansion of such practices within those years, and would the expansion be great enough to effect pheasant numbers on such a large scale in a short period of time?
5. Pen raised birds; like the turkey studies/theory, are populations of wild pheasants similar where pen birds have been released vs. areas where releasing pen raised pheasants has been virtually non existent?
6. Have brood sizes declined? Are birds "willing" to breed but are not breeding? If so, why?
Nick
Increased predators and a lack of habitat
We have planted hens in the past with very limited success and only anecdotal accounts of them producing offspring. They just don't have the smarts of a wild bird. I wonder if transplanting birds from another state would help, stronger genetics?
-jb
Yes. There's no doubt, and increase in habitat and a decrease in predators will benefit pheasants. But consider areas where there's been a increase in habitat and predator populations are not in extreme levels by any means, yet bird numbers are still lagging. One area I observe sometimes has large areas of standing corn adjacent to a large habitat hub--through out the winter months. Still the birds do not seem to be increasing as we would expect them too.
I realize I'm using examples from here in Illinois, but obviously you too are having the same/similar issues (along with a number of other states).
Nick
Actually when they transplanted wild birds in the past it worked out pretty well. That was when they didn't have the other problems that exist now for pheasants.I see transplanting like putting air in leaky tire. The transplanted pheasants will eventually die off like a tire with a hole will go flat again.
Actually when they transplanted wild birds in the past it worked out pretty well. That was when they didn't have the other problems that exist now for pheasants.
Got to remember that pheasants are an exotic planted species. If DFW spends time and money helping them specifically and not helping other native species that just happens to benefit pheasants, they open themselves up to criticism about not helping Striped Bass another popular exotic species. It actually makes sense and isn't just being risk averse. They need to be creative and to do that there has to be more positive feedback than negative. MWD and the San Joaquin water districts would throw a hissy if they actually helped pheasants because of the tie to stripers.