Pheasants are putting on their spring show

In mid-March, I was driving out in Burton when I saw two male ring-necked pheasants engaged in a battle in the middle of the road. The sun had set, and it was getting dark, but I was able to get a few photos of the battle.

As long as they were on the road, they mostly sparred with each other, but once they moved to the grass and stubble, the violence became intense. One would try to grab the other’s enlarged red wattle, then the other would fly up trying to use its spurs and claws on its opponent’s head. While trying to spur its opponent, one had its leg grabbed, forcing it to be knocked head-over-heels, ending on its back. After about five minutes, the battle ended with the loser running for cover while the other one crowed its victory song and beat its chest with its wings.

Fighting usually happens while the males are setting up their “harem-defense polygyny” territory which is usually only a hundred yards or so from another male.

That was the only time that I saw them fight, but I have witnessed them sparring with each other and flirting with the same hens. Last weekend, one of them was surrounded by eight hens, while two other males had two hens each. There are up to four roosters and 12 hens near the disced-up stubble field where I witnessed the fight. Friday morning, I witnessed three males in a quarter of a mile with three hens each, and each male had at least one receptive female.

It is early for them to start nesting, but as the time get closer, the males get more intense in their displaying. When a female will stop long enough for the male to display for her, he will fan his long tail and drop the wing closest to her while puffing out his wattles and ear-tufts. It appears that he wants to show her all of his amazing colors. He will then flap his wings and cackle while offering her some food.

Hens will choose the male they prefer and gather in breeding groups around them. The males will also try to drive off other ground nesting birds like gray partridges because the female pheasants may lay eggs in their nests.

There seems to be more pheasants this spring in the Burton, Plano and Hibbard area around Rexburg. There has been an interest in those areas to establishing native habitat sanctuaries for wildlife to have a safe place to raise their young in. Some of these areas have small agricultural fields near them where pheasants, turkeys and other wildlife can feed along fences and ditch banks.

We are entering into one of my most exciting times of the year. Sage and sharp-tailed grouse are displaying, waterfowl migration is still in full swing, songbird migration is just a week or so away, the ice has melted on Ririe and the elk and deer are following the melting snow to the higher elevations. I do not have enough days or time in each day to do everything I would like to do. It is time to get out and enjoy a windy day with a little snow/rain mixed in; you may be amazed at what you see and experience. Oh, and there are some nice rocks out there to be enjoyed.

It is a good thing to remember that the wood ticks are about and active. Keep your bird feeders out for a few more weeks to allow migrating songbirds a few meals.

Good luck and be safe!!!

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