The brood season is a critical time in the life cycle of ring-necked pheasants.
This period begins shortly after hatching in late spring and lasts through midsummer. During this period, pheasant chicks—referred to as broods when with their mother—are highly vulnerable and depend heavily on suitable habitat, a rich food supply, and stable weather conditions to survive.
Once the eggs hatch, typically in June in much of North America, hen pheasants lead their chicks into brood-rearing habitat—areas rich in insects, ground cover, and shelter. Ideal brood habitat consists of undisturbed grasslands with a diversity of grasses and forbs, often mixed with low shrubs and adjacent to winter cover.
Good brood habitat must offer a balance of:
- Overhead cover to shield from aerial predators.
- Open ground for easy chick movement and foraging.
- Moisture-rich zones that support a high insect population.
Conservation lands, native prairie, lightly grazed pastures, and field edges with wild vegetation often provide the best mix of protective cover and foraging opportunities.
Pheasant chicks are highly insectivorous in their first weeks of life. Protein-rich insects are essential for growth, and include grasshoppers, beetles, ants, caterpillars and spiders. As they mature, chicks gradually begin to consume seeds, leafy vegetation, and grains. The availability of soft-bodied insects during the first 2–3 weeks is critical—chicks that don’t get enough protein early on often fail to survive.
Various factors can contribute to high mortality during brood season including:
- Predation: Coyotes, foxes, skunks, raccoons, and raptors prey on both chicks and hens. Chicks are especially vulnerable before they can fly, usually around 10–14 days after hatching.
- Weather: Cold, wet weather can be lethal to young chicks, especially during the first week of life when they lack body fat and waterproof feathers.
- Habitat Loss: Intensive agriculture, mowing, and urban expansion reduce available brood cover. Chicks in poor habitat are more exposed and less able to find sufficient food.
- Pesticide Use: Chemical applications on cropland can diminish insect populations and directly poison young birds.
Studies show that only about 30–40% of pheasant chicks survive to fledging which is around 6 weeks of age. The success rate varies greatly depending on the extent of the mortality factors above.
The brood season is a delicate and decisive period in the ring-necked pheasant’s annual cycle. Availability of high-quality nesting and brood-rearing habitat, rich in insects and cover, is essential for the greatest success.
Conservation efforts by Pheasants Forever play a major role in providing habitat for this vital period of the life cycle.
