Page 18 - Kansas Sportsman

BROOD-REARING HABITAT hatching, chicks also rely on this variation in structure to help keep their in-
ternal temperature within a safe range. Mornings in the spring are chilly and
Hatching new pheasants is important. But quality brood-rearing habitat is
the vegetation dewy. A chick that finds itself in sod-bound grass will likely
essential to ensure pheasant chicks are able to survive, grow, and ultimately
die of hypothermia if it is unable to push itself out of the damp vegetation
thrive. and dry itself off.
To accomplish this, brood rearing habitat must check multiple boxes.
Luckily, life gets easier for the young birds as they grow. And they do grow
It must:
quickly. To fuel this rapid growth, chicks need the quality protein only found
• Provide concealment from predators in soft-bodied insects.
• Permit easy movement of small chicks
During their first several weeks of life, pheasant chicks feed almost exclu-
• Allow chicks the ability to regulate their body temperature
sively on the larval and instar stages of many pollinator insect species. Pol-
• Offer ample foraging opportunities (i.e. soft-bodied insects)
linating insects (as well as many non-pollinator species) require broadleaf
If we adopt the perspective of a pheasant chick for a moment, we begin to plants on the landscape. So, generally speaking, good pollinator habitat is
see how different vegetation types can bring all these factors together. good brood rearing habitat.
Newly hatched chicks weigh less than an ounce, so pushing their way When planning these seedings, it is beneficial to include north of 30 forb
through dense vegetation isn’t an option. But they must also avoid spending species with just a few warm season grasses at a low rate, aiming for a ratio
too much time out in the open, as they would be a quick treat for predators. of 1/3 grasses to 2/3 forbs. A high number of broadleaves guarantees that
there are always plants blooming throughout the growing season, as most
Which kinds of plants won’t slow down chicks, but also hide them from
species only flower during a specific window and for a limited time. It turns
threats? Bunchgrasses and broadleaves.
out planting milkweed benefits more than just monarch butterflies!
Bunchgrasses grow in clumps, leaving the surrounding soil bare.
Broadleaves (wildflowers), which generally lose the battle for resources FINDING HELP
to sod-forming grasses, persist in the open soil allowed by bunchgrasses
Various federal, state and private conservation programs may help defray
and form tree-like canopies above these bare spots. This structure offers
some of the cost of establishing nest cover. Contact your local Pheasants
both lateral concealment (grasses) and overhead concealment (forbs) from
Forever Farm Bill biologist at pheasantsforever.org/Habitat/FindBiologist to
preying eyes, while also allowing for open paths on the soil surface for the
start. Other resources include the Natural Resources Conservation Service
tiny chicks to move freely.
(NRCS) at your local USDA Farm Service Agency office, state wildlife agency,
Unable to regulate their own body temperature for over ten days after and local Pheasants Forever chapter.

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18 THE KANSAS SPORTSMAN | SPRING 2024