Breeding Success of Wild and Hand-Reared Ring-Necked Pheasants

Abstract
We compared male territoriality, harem possession, and relative breeding success in subsequent years of hand-reared versus wild-reared ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) at two sites in England and Irelend [UK]. Release of hand-reared males in summer led to an increase in the density of nonterritorial males the following spring. Relative breeding success was 5.times. and 2.times. greater for wild males than hand-reared males at Ireland and England, respectively. There were no differences between 49 radio-tracked wild and hand-reared females in the number of nesting attempts/individual, or the proportion of successful nests. Hand-reared females were 3.times. more vulnerable to predation during April-August than were wild females. Wild females were 4.times. more productive than hand-reared females.