The ring-necked pheasant was introduced into Montana in the early 1900's and is not established wherever suitable habitat exists. More than 150,000 of this popular game bird are bagged by Montana hunters each year.

The ringneck occurs throughout the agricultural region of the state, primarily on irrigated croplands. It is rarely found in any numbers where cereal grains are not part of the cropping system. Much excellent habitat that existed in dryland areas has been lost because of changes in farming practices. Most notable was the loss of conservation reserve lands, as well as the current trend toward larger expanses of fallow and equally large grain fields with little or not permanent cover intermixed. The practice of fall tillage of grain fields eliminates any waste grains that might otherwise have been available to feed pheasants throughout the critical winter period. The continuing conversion of irrigated grain fields to pasture and hay further erodes quality ringneck habitat throughout the state. Consequently, pheasant populations in much of the state have dwindled from highs of the early 1940's and mid-1950's. The combination of conditions that favored the ringneck during these periods is unlikely to prevail again.

Food

The food of mature pheasants consists primarily of weed seeds, grains, and tender plants; while young birds require a large portion of insect food. Pheasants are capable of going several days without food during winter stress periods.

Cereal grains - barley, corn, proso millet, oats and wheat - make up over 80 percent of the pheasant's diet. Seeds of knotweed, pigweed, ricegrass, Russian thistle and sunflower are also eaten. Succulent leaves of alfalfa, the clovers and other forbs are eaten when available - hawthorn, rose and snowberry - are not preferred, but my sustain birds through periods of deep snow when other foods are scarce. Pheasant chicks live almost wholly on insects - ants, beetles, caterpillars and grasshoppers - during summer and fall.

Cover

A variety of cover types is necessary to provide "living quarters" for ringnecks. Large populations are usually found where a combination of cropland, waste or idle land, marshland, pasture and woody thickets occur. Areas of diversified crop farming will support more pheasants than those having a single crop covering vast areas. Hens conceal their nests in weed patches, grassy fence rows, along roadside and irrigation ditches, alfalfa fields and pastures. Roosting cover is provided by alfalfa, dense grass, grain stubble, rushes, cattails and weed patches. Many pheasants are killed and nests destroyed during the first mowing of alfalfa fields.

Habitat Management Suggestions

Develop Wild Cover

Let strips along fence rows, ditch banks, roadsides and field corners revert to natural cover; and allow sumps, equipment parking areas, corrals, old building grounds and other sites to grow wild cover.

Avoid Burning and Discing Mid-April to Mid-June

The most important, simplest and practical action a landowner can take to benefit pheasants is to avoid burning, discing or spraying ditchbanks and waste areas from the middle of April to the middle of June. This period is the critical nesting season. Loss of cover at this time results in a) hen pheasants abandoning their nests; b) forcing hens to nest in hay fields, where later mowings cause heavy losses; c) destruction of young chicks; and d) reduction of insect food vital to young pheasants during their first few weeks of life. Some weeds may be controlled after nesting, before they mature and produce seed.

Mowings

When mowing alfalfa or other hay crops during the nesting season, mow from the center of the field toward the edges. Although loss of pheasants will still occur, this practice will tend to push some of the birds to the safety of field edges. Flushing bars can further reduce losses.

Use Caution with Insecticides

Spraying with insecticides should be avoided during the month of June. By postponing spraying until July, young pheasants are insured an adequate insect supply during their first and second weeks of life. Use insecticides with caution. Some insecticides have proved in some instances to be detrimental to bird life.

Tillage

In the grain belt, refraining from fall tilling of grain stubble provides a waste grain food source available to pheasants through the critical winter period that otherwise would not be available.

Shelterbelts and Field Windbreaks

The establishment of shelterbelts and windbreaks, in addition to meeting their primary conservation objectives, can provide cover and food for pheasants , sharp-tailed grouse and a variety of non-game birds if properly maintained and care is given to the selection of plant materials of value to wildlife.