Tweets,
I'm sure somebody will correct me if I'm wrong here (afterall it is
tweeters ;)..) but a couple of years ago I heard that the average lifespan
of pheasants released on state game areas was about 11 days during hunting
season (I believe this applies especially to areas like the skagit game
range where they release the pheasants mainly during the hunting season
for one reason only). Unless a owl or hawk has learned to shoot a shotgun
I really doubt too many of the released pheasants in game areas are around
long enough to become food for birds of prey.
One a lighter note it might be a good idea teaching those raptors how to
defend themselves, a person might not shoot one so readily if he knew he
was going to be shot at as well ;).

Scott Downes
sdownes at u.washington.edu
Seattle WA

"Birds don't read bird books. (That's why they are seen doing things they
are not supposed to do)." -Mary Wood


On Sat, 20 Feb 1999, Martin J. Muller wrote:

> If I remember correctly Ring-necked Pheasants are linked to destruction of
> native amphibians and reptiles. If anything Ring-necked (or any other
> species of introduced) pheasants ought to be removed.