Comparative studies of the release and ability to survive of game pheasants (Phasianus colchicus sp.) from intensive and extensive husbandry
Sodeikat, G.; Niepel, L.; Fehlberg, U.; Pohlmeyer, K.
Deutsche Tierärztliche Wochenschrift 102(3): 112-116
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0341-6593 PMID: 7555681 Document Number: 443154
Artificially reared pheasants had been released at an age of 10 weeks on two stands in a suitable habitat with a wild pheasant population in Lower Saxony, Germany. Two groups (200 pheasants reared in large fly-aviaries, 200 pheasants reared in dark stables) were bought from commercial breeders who offer pheasants for restocking wild populations. Some of the released pheasants were marked with radio-transmitters. There was no significant difference in survival rate between the two rearing groups. Moreover a significant difference in survival rate between the two releasing points could be find out. Within 32 days 114 (30%) of the 380 released pheasants died mainly by predators e.g. fox/martens (44%) and goshawk (12%). 59% of these refound dead pheasants died already within the first week. 20 pheasants died in the releasing-aviary. Most of the released pheasants alive were re-observed within a diameter of 1000 metres from the releasing points. Only some pheasants dispersed more than 2000 metres. No pheasant released could be observed longer than 5 weeks. We suppose that most of pheasants released died within short time.