Struggling pheasants in Illinois have different preferences than state’s quail population
Two rooster ring-necked pheasants were going at it pretty good. After a short tussle they gave up on their mating-induced ritual and parted ways. I had been photographing pheasants at this site for several years, with good luck finding a few almost daily. Little did I know that a change was coming.
It is no secret that loss of habitat and changing farm practices have put a major hurt on upland bird numbers in Illinois. Many areas of the state that once harbored populations of pheasants are nearly devoid of this popular upland game bird, with few, if any, remaining.
