HABITAT REQUIREMENTS of RING-NECKED PHEASANT HENS (Phasianus Colchicus)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
HABITAT REQUIREMENTS OF RING-NECKED PHEASANT HENS (Phasianus colchicus) ON FARMLAND IN LOWER AUSTRIA DURING NESTING AND BROOD REARING by THOMAS HOESMAN BLISS (Under the Direction of John P. Carroll) ABSTRACT Ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) are an important game species in Austria where populations have declined precipitously during the last half century. Given the lack of knowledge of populations within Austria, this research was conducted to determine habitat use and survival of pheasant hens during the breeding season and for broods during the first 21 days after hatching. Hen pheasants establish home ranges around set-aside and wetland habitats and nest in set aside. Brooding hens prefer to use set aside habitat and that game crop positively affects brood survival. Predation is the main reason for loss of hens and broods. Therefore, in order to increase the population of pheasants I suggest increasing the availability of set aside, wetland, and game crop habitats while incorporating supplemental feeding and predator control. INDEX WORDS: Ring-necked pheasant, Austria, Brood, Habitat Use, Home Range, Survival HABITAT REQUIREMENTS OF RING-NECKED PHEASANT HENS (Phasianus colchicus) ON FARMLAND IN LOWER AUSTRIA DURING NESTING AND BROOD REARING by THOMAS HOESMAN BLISS B.S., University of Tennessee: Chattanooga, 1997 A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF SCIENCE ATHENS, GEORGIA 2004 © 2004 Thomas Hoesman Bliss All Rights Reserved HABITAT REQUIREMENTS OF RING-NECKED PHEASANT HENS (Phasianus colchicus) ON FARMLAND IN LOWER AUSTRIA DURING NESTING AND BROOD REARING by THOMAS HOESMAN BLISS Major Professor: John P. Carroll Committee: Karl V. Miller William Palmer Electronic Version Approved: Maureen Grasso Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia December 2004 DEDICATION I dedicate this thesis to my loving wife, Angela, who had the strength to allow me to pursue this endeavor and for her patience and understanding during my time in Austria. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The funding for this project was a joint effort between Gutsverwaltung Hardegg, Austria, The Game Conservancy Trust, Fordingbridge, England, and the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forest Resources, USA. I personally want to thank the following people. John Carroll, my major professor, who took me on as graduate student and gave me the wonderful opportunity to work in Austria. Also, for his patience and positive outlook even during the frustrating periods encountered while conducting research abroad. To Roger Draycott, for his friendship and support while conducting research. I appreciated the much needed change of pace during your visits. Additionally, for your invaluable knowledge of pheasants which helped me out tremendously in the field and while writing. To Maximilian and Alexandra Hardegg, for their friendship and for welcoming a total stranger into their home. Also, for their love of the outdoors which without this research would not have been possible. Finally, I want to thank Karl Pock, for his friendship and patience in helping out an American, who has no grasp of the German language, get adjusted to life in Seefeld. Also for his valuable knowledge of wildlife which was imparted to me, and his ability to get my mind off work when I needed a break. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.............................................................................................................v CHAPTER 1 STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION OF RING-NECKED PHEASANTS .......................1 LITERATURE REVIEW..........................................................................................1 LITERATURE CITED..............................................................................................4 2 HOME RANGE, HABITAT USE, AND SURVIVAL OF HEN PHEASANTS IN LOWER AUSTRIA ..................................................................................................9 INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................9 STUDY AREA........................................................................................................10 METHODS..............................................................................................................12 RESULTS................................................................................................................16 DISCUSSION .........................................................................................................19 LITERATURE CITED............................................................................................21 3 HOME RANGE, HABITAT USE, AND SURVIVAL OF PHEASANT BROODS IN LOWER AUSTRIA ................................................................................................40 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................40 STUDY AREA........................................................................................................41 METHODS..............................................................................................................42 RESULTS................................................................................................................46 vi DISCUSSION .........................................................................................................48 LITERATURE CITED............................................................................................51 4 MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS FOR RING-NECKED PHEASANTS IN LOWER AUSTRIA ................................................................................................69 MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS.......................................................................69 LITERATURE CITED............................................................................................72 APPENDICES ...............................................................................................................................74 A Patagial tag, date captured, weight (g), tarsus (mm), condition index (weight/tarsus), feather shaft (mm), age, capture location, and cover at trap of hen pheasants on Seefeld Estate, Lower Austria, Austria 2002 ..........................................................74 B Patagial tag, date captured, weight (g), tarsus (mm), condition index (weight/tarsus), feather shaft (mm), age, capture location, and cover at trap of hen pheasants on Seefeld Estate, Lower Austria, Austria 2003 ..........................................................76 C Models considered to determine the effect of dispersal (A), condition index (B), age (C), agriculture (D), set aside (E), woodland (F), amount edge within the home range (G), game crop (H), and wetland (I) upon the survival of pheasant hens on Seefeld Estate, Lower Austria, Austria 2002 – 2003 ..............................................78 D Models considered to determine the effect of condition index of hen (A), age (B), game crop (C), wetland (D), amount edge within the home range (E) nesting habitat (F), woodland (G), agriculture (H), and set aside (I) upon survival of pheasant broods on Seefeld Estate, Lower Austria, Austria 2001 – 2003 ..............81 vii E Example of a small breeding season 100% MCP home range (2.7 ha) using #1577. Observe mixture of preferred hen habitats, set aside and wetland, along with male territory habitat, woodland edge and coppice. Seefeld Estate, Lower Austria, Austria 2002-2003...................................................................................................84 F Example of a large breeding season 100% MCP home range (264 ha) using #1595. Notice low amount of male territory habitat, woodland and coppice, within the home range. Seefeld Estate, Lower Austria, Austria 2002-2003 ...........................85 G Example of hen dispersal using #1570 showing the 100% MCP home range during the breeding season on Seefeld Estate, Austria during 2002 ..................................86 H Example of a small 100% MCP brood home range (2.6 ha) using #1512. Home range is comprised of well managed set aside, game crop and wetland habitats which provide food and cover. Seefeld Estate, Lower Austria, Austria 2002-2003.........87 I Example of an average 100% MCP brood home range (11 ha) using #1573, which contains a good mixture of set aside, game crop, wetland, and agricultural land. Notice that majority of locations lie within game crop. Seefeld Estate, Lower Austria, Austria 2002-2003 .....................................................................................88 J Example of a large 100% MCP brood home range (44 ha) using #1568. Observe that the home range is dominated by agricultural land which increased the area covered in order to find preferred set aside habitat. Seefeld Estate, Lower Austria, Austria 2002-2003................................................................................................................89 viii CHAPTER 1 STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION OF RING-NECKED PHEASANTS LITERATURE REVIEW The Common (or Ring-necked) pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) is native from the shores of the Black and Caspian seas east to Manchuria and Korea and to Taiwan and Japan (Hill and Robertson 1988, Johnsgard 1999). Its name is derived from the Phasis Valley in Colchis, an area within the Republic of Georgia, where it was found by Jason and the Argonauts who is believed to have brought it to Europe around 1300 BC (Robertson