The Crowing Post:  4/9/07

Pheasant Nesting Season is Almost Here!

Spring is in the air.  If you spend any time out on the country side in the early morning hours or around sunset you can tell by all of the crowing roosters that nesting season is just about to begin.

There are probably already hens beginning to nest.  But, the peak of nesting will begin around April 15^th.  Hens will typically select grass fields that have at least 15 to 20 inches of growth.  If the habitat isn’t that tall by the 15^th the conditions will be less than ideal.  Pheasants nest in shallow depressions, lined with grass. With their first nesting attempt, hens will lay an average of one egg a day for 11 to 15 days.  Typically, incubation lasts about 23 days.  In order for the nest to be successful, the nest must remain undisturbed for about 34 to 38 days.  Hens will only have one brood per year.  However, if a nesting attempt fails to produce young, a hen may attempt to nest as many as four times throughout the spring and early summer.

In order to increase the number of birds in the fall we have to produce them in the spring.  Diverse stands with several species of grasses and forbs are the best nesting and brood rearing habitats.  Pheasants Forever has several mixtures of grasses and forbs available.  Contact a Pheasants Forever wildlife biologist today to find out how you can improve your property for pheasant and quail nesting.

 habitat today….pheasants forever!