Abstract
The living environment has a key impact on breeding behavior in pheasants. The breeding period of pheasant in Poland lasts from March to May–June, and the breeding strategy used is the rolling method. The aim of this study was to assess predator pressure on pheasant breeding sites located in rural and urban areas over five consecutive years (2014–2018). Every year in May, 15 outlets were laid out in each of the compared areas, and 5 hen eggs were placed in each. Lined nests were set up carelessly so that they would be as natural as possible, resembling those built by pheasants. Lined nests were checked four times. During each inspection, the number of eggs was recorded, and in case of a deficit, the predator was identified on the basis of traces left behind. The greatest losses in nests in urban areas concerned those located in the city park, where all the left eggs were destroyed. In contrast, in agricultural areas the most losses (77%) were recorded in nests located on boundary strips. The most common causes of urban damage were corvids, while in agricultural areas foxes. It is estimated that overall during 5 years of research, urban damage amounted to around 80%, while in agricultural areas the losses reached almost 55%.
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