pheasants

Maudi

hi all.just out walking earlier and as usual a cock pheasant flys up and frightens the bejasus outa me..got me thinking...i always presume these strays escaped from farms...how come they havent gone bush and breed in the wild? or have they?

garv123

Maudi wrote: »

hi all.just out walking earlier and as usual a cock pheasant flys up and frightens the bejasus outa me..got me thinking...i always presume these strays escaped from farms...how come they havent gone bush and breed in the wild? or have they?

There are thousands of pheasants released from farms each year for the hunting season and to keep numbers up. There are also plenty of wild pheasants and yes they do breed. Its mostly cock pheasants released as the released hens dont breed well in the wild apparently. Only cock pheasants can be shot too, you need a permit to shoot hens.

newmug

Maudi wrote: »

hi all.just out walking earlier and as usual a cock pheasant flys up and frightens the bejasus outa me..got me thinking...i always presume these strays escaped from farms...how come they havent gone bush and breed in the wild? or have they?

Right. Here's what happens.

These phesants are not on "farms", as in mixed in with cattle and sheep and silage etc. Most of them are bred in captivity, in "hatcheries". They are then bought by gun clubs purposely released for shooting, and to breed naturally in the wild. Around here, the vast majority are bred, I'd say only 10% are genuinely wild. However, some avoid being shot, and they breed when the shooting season is over, and THEIR offspring are wild. They do not just escape while the farmer is dosing his cattle or fencing!

Just to add to that, what is it with Boards lately? Everybody is jumoing down each others throats! Give the OP a break, he's only asking a question. Sure isn't that what Boards is for!

Cass

Attacking posts removed.

If you cannot/do not want to answer or feel that answering is somehow below you then don't post. People have questions and this is what the forum was created to answer.

Between new users, new members of this forum, etc the same questions will always come up. Attacking people for what may be deemed as "silly" is uncivil, and discourages others from using the forum.

Maudi

newmug wrote: »

Maudi wrote: »

hi all.just out walking earlier and as usual a cock pheasant flys up and frightens the bejasus outa me..got me thinking...i always presume these strays escaped from farms...how come they havent gone bush and breed in the wild? or have they?

Right. Here's what happens.

These phesants are not on "farms", as in mixed in with cattle and sheep and silage etc. Most of them are bred in captivity, in "hatcheries". They are then bought by gun clubs purposely released for shooting, and to breed naturally in the wild. Around here, the vast majority are bred, I'd say only 10% are genuinely wild. However, some avoid being shot, and they breed when the shooting season is over, and THEIR offspring are wild. They do not just escape while the farmer is dosing his cattle or fencing!

Just to add to that, what is it with Boards lately? Everybody is jumoing down each others throats! Give the OP a break, he's only asking a question. Sure isn't that what Boards is for!

thank you.....idfairly familiar with native birds nests eggs etc...ive never seen a pheasants nest/young birds...are they tree/bush or groun nesting?il guess at bush.

Invincible

Maudi wrote: »

newmug wrote: »

Maudi wrote: »

hi all.just out walking earlier and as usual a cock pheasant flys up and frightens the bejasus outa me..got me thinking...i always presume these strays escaped from farms...how come they havent gone bush and breed in the wild? or have they?

Right. Here's what happens.

These phesants are not on "farms", as in mixed in with cattle and sheep and silage etc. Most of them are bred in captivity, in "hatcheries". They are then bought by gun clubs purposely released for shooting, and to breed naturally in the wild. Around here, the vast majority are bred, I'd say only 10% are genuinely wild. However, some avoid being shot, and they breed when the shooting season is over, and THEIR offspring are wild. They do not just escape while the farmer is dosing his cattle or fencing!

Just to add to that, what is it with Boards lately? Everybody is jumoing down each others throats! Give the OP a break, he's only asking a question. Sure isn't that what Boards is for!

thank you.....idfairly familiar with native birds nests eggs etc...ive never seen a pheasants nest/young birds...are they tree/bush or groun nesting?il guess at bush.

They're ground nesting birds.