carniverous pheasant

Finally got out pheasant hunting last week and got one rooster. It turned out to be a young of the year bird, very small. When I went to clean it I found a half digested mouse in it’s craw. I have found grasshoppers and such but never a mouse. Has anyone else encountered this?

You should see what the birds will do to other birds when caged up. That’s why they put blinders on them when raising them. They will pick at just about anything. Heck, you should hear some of the hiss at you when catching them. They think they are tougher than they really are.

You should see what the birds will do to other birds when caged up. That’s why they put blinders on them when raising them. They will pick at just about anything. Heck, you should hear some of the hiss at you when catching them. They think they are tougher than they really are.

I can’t imagine that a pheasant is much differant than a chicken…. the reason I say this is that when I was a youngster I use to have some pet mice… thought it would be funny to put one in my mom’s pillow case one night… she didn’t think it was so funny and demanded that I get rid of all my mice… being the little devil that I was back then I proceeded to go out to the chicken pen and figured I would scare me some chickens with the mice… was I ever in for a surprise… those chickens fought like crazy over those mice… so yes it doesn’t surprise me one bit that a pheasant would eat mice at all…. just thought you might find this story alittle funny.

bird

I can’t imagine that a pheasant is much differant than a chicken…. the reason I say this is that when I was a youngster I use to have some pet mice… thought it would be funny to put one in my mom’s pillow case one night… she didn’t think it was so funny and demanded that I get rid of all my mice… being the little devil that I was back then I proceeded to go out to the chicken pen and figured I would scare me some chickens with the mice… was I ever in for a surprise… those chickens fought like crazy over those mice… so yes it doesn’t surprise me one bit that a pheasant would eat mice at all…. just thought you might find this story alittle funny.

bird

Interisting, i thought they were grain and bug eaters. Never would have thought they liked mice, guess turkeys do to?

Interisting, i thought they were grain and bug eaters. Never would have thought they liked mice, guess turkeys do to?

Zoomer,

I’ve probably cleaned close to 1,000 pheasants over the years and have never seen a mouse in one’s crop. However, several years ago my uncle said that he cleaned one that had a mouse in its crop. I guess I always had my doubts about whether he was telling the truth or just toying with me. Now I’m starting to believe him. Interesting…

Boone

Zoomer,

I’ve probably cleaned close to 1,000 pheasants over the years and have never seen a mouse in one’s crop. However, several years ago my uncle said that he cleaned one that had a mouse in its crop. I guess I always had my doubts about whether he was telling the truth or just toying with me. Now I’m starting to believe him. Interesting…

Boone

Well…. I finally found a mouse in a pheasant’s crop. I was hunting with my dad and a buddy this past Saturday and we got seven roosters and two quail. One of the roosters had a mouse in its crop. With all the pheasants I’ve cleaned in the past, I sure would have thought I’d have seen one before now. Maybe I just missed them in the past or perhaps it’s very rare. With all the mice that are around, you’d think a pheasant could get them fairly easily if they wanted too. They sure must be able to open their beaks pretty wide because it didn’t even look like the mouse would fit.

Boone

Well…. I finally found a mouse in a pheasant’s crop. I was hunting with my dad and a buddy this past Saturday and we got seven roosters and two quail. One of the roosters had a mouse in its crop. With all the pheasants I’ve cleaned in the past, I sure would have thought I’d have seen one before now. Maybe I just missed them in the past or perhaps it’s very rare. With all the mice that are around, you’d think a pheasant could get them fairly easily if they wanted too. They sure must be able to open their beaks pretty wide because it didn’t even look like the mouse would fit.

Boone

Hey Boone,
Thanks for the info. I too find it hard to believe that they can swallow something so big. Kind of makes you think twice when you bring the fork to your mouth! Were you at a preserve or are there still some wild quail in Minnesota? I grew up in Wisconsin and in all the years I have been hunting I have only found quail one time and that would have been 1985 or so. Thanks again
Zoomer

Hey Boone,
Thanks for the info. I too find it hard to believe that they can swallow something so big. Kind of makes you think twice when you bring the fork to your mouth! Were you at a preserve or are there still some wild quail in Minnesota? I grew up in Wisconsin and in all the years I have been hunting I have only found quail one time and that would have been 1985 or so. Thanks again
Zoomer

Zoomer,

We were in southern Iowa. We don’t see near as many quail down there like we use to about 15 years ago but we still run into some nice coveys every once in a while. Speaking of quail and swallowing big things…. it’s amazing that quail can choke down those big kernels of corn.

I’ve never seen a quail in MN or WI.

Boone

Zoomer,

We were in southern Iowa. We don’t see near as many quail down there like we use to about 15 years ago but we still run into some nice coveys every once in a while. Speaking of quail and swallowing big things…. it’s amazing that quail can choke down those big kernels of corn.

I’ve never seen a quail in MN or WI.

Boone