Corncrake or Pheasant? (1 Viewer)

[Nutcracker]

Thank you all (espacially aeshna5) for mentioning the (regular?) nesting of Pheasants, at least in Britain (and Russia?). That was new to me, but I must admit that I dont massve experience with this topic.

In Germany, Pheasants are generally believed to rely on released birds to sustain a stable population over a longer period (even in "good" habitats with a mild, snowfree winter climate).

Not climate-related, as the species experiences far colder and snowier conditions in parts of its native range. The reason why released Pheasants don't breed well is that they've never had a natural parental upbringing - so they don't even know what to do with those round things that come out of their back ends, let alone know how to care for the chicks and protect them from predators :eek!:

 

[dantheman]

A question that I don't see asked anywhere yet. What colour were the eggs? Because the eggs of Pheasant and Corncrake do not look the same.

Also, are there other species in the area that could cause confusion? Maybe Red-legged Partridge or escaped Guineafowl.

Without more information I don't think it's possible to identify which species is involved here.

See post #37

 

[johnallcock]

See post #37

Thanks. I must have missed that one when I read though before.
Still not answered though... we know that one egg was unusual for being blue, but not what the other eggs were like.

 

[Alexander Stöhr]

Not climate-related, as the species experiences far colder and snowier conditions in parts of its native range. The reason why released Pheasants don't breed well is that they've never had a natural parental upbringing - so they don't even know what to do with those round things that come out of their back ends, let alone know how to care for the chicks and protect them from predators :eek!:

Thanks Nutcracker! I thought I have read and heard several times before, that the reason for the need to release Pheasants to maintain a stable population in Germany was cold winters with snow. Otherwise Phesants would become extinct, thats what I heard before, so thank you for this information!

 

[BobbitWorm45]

Most pheasants think they're human, as that's they first thing they see when they come out of the incubator. I used to do field archery in a wood where they released pheasants and they would run around your feet like chickens.

 

[Simon G]

Most pheasants think they're human, as that's they first thing they see when they come out of the incubator. I used to do field archery in a wood where they released pheasants and they would run around your feet like chickens.

On that reasoning, a lot of them must be hatched in car parks, given their propensity to leap into the arms of a moving vehicle.

 

[aeshna5]

Thanks Nutcracker! I thought I have read and heard several times before, that the reason for the need to release Pheasants to maintain a stable population in Germany was cold winters with snow. Otherwise Phesants would become extinct, thats what I heard before, so thank you for this information!

Wouldn't have thought German winters would be a problem from a cold perspective as I saw them as native birds in eastern Kazakhstan where the winters will be much colder & snow covered than Germany.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Wouldn't have thought German winters would be a problem from a cold perspective as I saw them as native birds in eastern Kazakhstan where the winters will be much colder & snow covered than Germany.

Ditto, I've seen them in China where winters are pretty cold too.

 

[Nutcracker]

On that reasoning, a lot of them must be hatched in car parks, given their propensity to leap into the arms of a moving vehicle.

Yep - they see the keeper arriving in a car with sackfuls of food, so they associate cars with feeding time :-O :eek!: :-C


I read of one shooting estate where the keeper had to walk along in front of the guns, pick the pheasants up, and toss them in the air, because they were so tame :storm:

 

[dantheman]

I'm pretty sure that in the wider countryside there are plenty of pheasants of a few generations down the line that haven't seen a release pen at all. Be interesting to know if they can be self-sustaining at any level. Can do a bit of havoc on other wildlife I believe.

 

[Andy Adcock]

I'm pretty sure that in the wider countryside there are plenty of pheasants of a few generations down the line that haven't seen a release pen at all. Be interesting to know if they can be self-sustaining at any level. Can do a bit of havoc on other wildlife I believe.

Indeed, said to be the biggest predator of Adders for one.

 

[Nutcracker]

Indeed, said to be the biggest predator of Adders for one.

That, and likely also the main cause of the loss of Black Grouse from much of Britain (which used to occur widely in lowland areas as well as uplands, until around 100-150 years ago)