Interactions of Pheasants and Prairie Chickens in Illinois

A small population of pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) developed in the area of Jasper County prairie chicken (Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus) sanctuaries, although this area is outside the contiguous range of pheasants in Illinois. Interactions observed between these 2 species included aggressive haras...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Wildlife Society bulletin 1979-12, Vol.7 (4), p.221-225
Main Authors: Vance, D. Russel, Westemeier, Ronald L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal nesting
Ants
Bird nesting
Chickens
Clutch size
Flocks
Hens
Parasitism
Pheasants
Prairies
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Summary:A small population of pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) developed in the area of Jasper County prairie chicken (Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus) sanctuaries, although this area is outside the contiguous range of pheasants in Illinois. Interactions observed between these 2 species included aggressive harassment of prairie chickens by cock pheasants and parasitism of prairie chicken nests by hen pheasants. Both harassment and parasitism could adversely affect small remnant flocks of prairie chickens and preclude successful attempts to preserve or reintroduce prairie chickens in areas within pheasant range.
ISSN:0091-7648
1938-5463