Long Term Assessment of Predator Pressure on Artificial Nests of Common Pheasant ( Phasianus colchicus ) in Urban and Agricultural Areas of Lublin (Poland)

TL;DR

This study found that urban areas have higher predator pressure on pheasant nests compared to agricultural areas, with magpies and foxes being the main predators.

Contribution

The study provides a long-term comparison of predator pressure on pheasant nests in urban versus agricultural settings.

Findings

Predation pressure on pheasant nests was higher in urban areas than in agricultural areas.

Common magpies were the main predators in urban areas, while red foxes were dominant in agricultural areas.

Predation pressure in agricultural areas decreased with increased soil suitability for farming.

Abstract

In the study (2005–2023), the pressure of predators on breeding common pheasants (
Phasianus colchicus
) in urban (city of Lublin) and agricultural areas was compared using artificial nests. The average nest predation was higher in the urban than in agricultural areas. The main predator in the city was the common magpie (
Pica pica
), which preyed on nests mostly in ruderal areas and in the city park. The main predator in the agrocenoses was the red fox (
Vulpes vulpes
), which destroyed nests in the ecotone zones. A higher density of pheasants in urban areas, combined with a simultaneous higher pressure of predators than in agricultural areas, suggests that other environmental factors influence pheasant density more than the pressure of predators. In agricultural areas, the pressure of predators on artificial nests was shown to decrease along with the increase in the suitability of soils for agricultural production, which is associated with the decline in ecotone sites in intensively used agrocenoses.

Higher pressure of predators on artificial nests is demonstrated in the urban area, compared to agricultural areas. The primary artificial nest predators are common magpies in urban areas and red foxes in agricultural areas.

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