Chapter 6. Conclusions

The results presented in this thesis are among the first to show how positive management can improve aspects of the breeding performance of released pheasants in the wild. They show that the availability of natural grains and seeds on modern arable farmland is not sufficient for hen pheasants to maintain their body condition during nesting. However, by providing supplementary wheat grain in breeding territories the body condition of hens can be maintained and this has positive effect on pre- and post-breeding densities of pheasants. Therefore, it is recommended that spring supplementary feeding should be carried out as standard procedure by game managers, not just to help improve breeding success, but is justified alone on animal welfare grounds to ensure birds have sufficient food resources. Ideally, spring supplementary feeding should be conducted in conjunction with efficient predation control and provision of adequate brood-rearing habitat to maximise the benefit to pheasants.

Clearly, there are important behavioural and physiological short-comings with released pheasants which pre-dispose them to poor performance after release. These factors, along with a proper understanding of the impact of released pheasants on wild populations and the environment need to be addressed before pheasant releasing at its current level can be justified as a sustainable long-term game management strategy. Finally, many granivorous farmland bird species have experienced serious population declines and range contractions in Britain in recent decades. The reduction in winter food resources has been cited as a causative factor in their decline. However, the impact of food availability on body condition and breeding success of these birds has not yet been the focus of research. Results presented in this thesis suggest that this in an area of farmland bird ecology requiring attention.