Pheasant Investigation in Pennsylvania 
 
 
  Because of numerous complaints re- 
ceived from farmers in Montgomery, 
Bucks, Northampton and Lehigh Coun- 
ties to the effect that Ring-necked 
Pheasants were pulling corn, a three- 
day investigation of the affected areas 
was made by officials of the Game 
Commission on June 10, 11 and 12, 
1930. The actions of the pheasants 
while feeding were observed very care- 
fully and a number of the birds were 
killed in these counties; all were shot 
in corn fields after they had been eat- 
ing for at least a half hour. Approx- 
imately 300 miles were 
 
 
driven during the three- 
day trip and although 
many pheasants were 
seen, few were noted in 
the corn fields. For the 
most part they were ob- 
served along the edges 
of the grass fields or in 
the potato patches. 
   Many farmers were 
 visited during the in- 
 vestigation, and their 
 troubles discussed. Most 
 farmers were very fair- 
-minded and- admitted 
that while they knew 
the pheasants pulled 
some corn during its 
early stages of growth, 
at the same time they 
also   knew   that the 
 
 
crows and blackbirds              Rinj 
were equally, if not 
more, to blame. Most farmers admitted 
that their losses are no greater now 
than they were before the pheasants 
existed in their sections. Before the 
pheasant was introduced crows and 
blackbirds were always blamed for 
pulling  corn.  Today, however, the 
mere fact that the pheasant frequents 
the corn field classes it as a destructive 
agency without taking into considera- 
tion all the good that it does by con- 
suming beetles, weevils, weed seeds, 
and so on. 
 
 
number of farmers who com- 
ed bitterly at first about the dam- 
done, later indicated their desire 
along with the Commission if a 
ber of birds would be trapped on 
property. 
ere is no question concerning the 
dance of pheasants in the afore- 
counties. At one farm in par- 
ar, where 106 birds were trapped 
  relief measure last year, we 
ed that the birds were equally as 
iful this year. One farmer re- 
y mowed a small grass field and 
vered over a half dozen nests. 
 
 
The mower cut off the legs of two 
birds and the wings of two more. Fifty- 
six eggs were gathered, all of which 
were ruined. Another farmer mowed 
over 14 nests in one grass field. It is 
regrettable that future stock has to be 
sacrificed in this way, but there is no 
way of remedying the situation, and 
the farmers for the most part are as 
careful as possible. 
  Some farmers have been spreading 
whole soaked corn about the edges of 
their corn fields and have found that 
this has kept even the crows and 
 
 
gneck Pheasants-Pennsylvania State Game I 
 
  blackbirds from the fields. The Com- 
  mission has paid farmers for the corn 
  they have used in such manner on a 
  number of occasions, and are willing 
  to do so again. However, many farm- 
  ers, even though they register com- 
  plaints of damage, refuse to accept any 
  remuneration for the corn that they 
  used: Many farmers are using crow 
  repellent which they say works out 
  admirably. 
    An investigation of the food habits of 
  the Ring-necked Pheasant must neces- 
  sarily be conducted throughout the year 
  and under various conditions in order 
  to arrive at any real definite conclu- 
  sions, and this the Game Commission 
  hopes to do. However, in the past sev- 
  eral years approximately 25 Ring- 
  necked Pheasant crops and gizzards 
  have been examined; these birds were 
  all killed in the southeastern part of 
  the State. In only one instance was 
  corn found. This bird held five grains 
  of corn and eleven destructive beetles, 
  Including the Spotted Cucumber Beetle 
  which is very destructive to corn. This 
  bird also held parts of an earthworm, 
                   261 
 
 
several larvae of the Crane Fly, nine 
June Beetles, and one Ground Beetle. 
In the other birds were found hundreds 
of beetles, including many Japanese 
Beetles. The crops and gizzards of the 
birds killed during the recent inves- 
tigation showed the following mate- 
rial: Ground Beetles, Leaf Beetles, 
Click  Beetles  or Jumping    Beetles, 
Weevils, Lightning    Beetles, Hister 
Beetles and Dung Beetles. Aside from 
the Lightning Beetles none of these are 
of any economic value. All of this ma- 
terial was carefully   examined  and 
               nronerlv Plassified h. 
 
 
Mr. A. B. Champlain of 
the Department of Agri- 
culture. Seed material 
found in the birds con- 
sisted of Mouse-eared 
Chickweed, seeds of the 
Wild Strawberry, But- 
tercup and Sedge. These 
were   identified  and 
properly classified by 
Mrs. M. C. Mowry of the 
Department of Agricul- 
ture. Only in one case 
do we have record of 
any grain being found. 
Three grains of oats 
along with half dozen 
beetles were found in 
the gizzard of a pheas- 
ant killed by an auto- 
mobile recently in Le- 
 
 
,arm            high County. The most 
                interesting bunch   of 
 material taken from a pheasant at one 
 time was removed from a bird killed by 
 an automobile in Philadelphia County. 
 This held the following material: 47 
 inch worms, 3 earth-worms, 2 potato 
 bugs, 1 butterfly, 138 Thenia flower 
 buds, 91 alfalfa and clover leaves, 3 
 buttercup blossoms, 1 grasshopper, 32 
 wood worms, 2 spiders and a lot of little 
 seeds. One gizzard from a bird killed 
 on the recent investigation held over 
 400 chickweed seeds and about a dozen 
 Dung Beetles. 
   It is true that the pheasants occa- 
 sionally pull corn, especially the young 
 growth of the early plantings. It has 
 been carefully noted, however, that 
 their habits change just as soon as In- 
 sect-life begins to assert Itself. Near 
 the spot where one pheasant was killed 
 in the recent investigation were sev- 
 eral freshly pulled corn sprouts with 
 the seed attached. No evidence of corn 
 was found in the bird, but there were 
 several cut-worms and a number of 
 beetles, however, all of which naturally 
 leads one to believe the birds were 
        (Continued on page 280)