Why did the pheasant cross the road? Long-term road mortality patterns in relation to management changes

Area of Science:

• Wildlife ecology
• Road ecology
• Conservation biology

Background:

• Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) roadkill is a significant issue in the UK, impacting both public safety and the game shooting industry.
• The rise in artificial pheasant rearing and release may influence population dynamics and movement behaviors, potentially affecting roadkill incidents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare pheasant roadkill patterns in the UK between the 1960s (pre-mass release) and 2010s (post-mass release).
• To investigate changes in the timing, sex distribution, and location of pheasant roadkill in relation to artificial rearing practices and traffic levels.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of intra-annual roadkill data for pheasants in the UK from the 1960s and 2010s.
• Comparison of roadkill patterns, considering sex, location, and temporal distribution, while accounting for traffic volume changes.

Main Results:

• The overall likelihood of pheasants being reported as roadkill has remained consistent over 50 years.
• A significant shift in the timing of roadkill was observed: breeding season peaks in the 1960s were replaced by peaks in September-November (dispersal) and a secondary peak in February (post-feeding) in the 2010s.
• Roadkill rates are higher in areas with scarce natural food resources, suggesting a link to supplementary feeding and habitat.

Conclusions:

• Artificial rearing and release programs have altered pheasant movement and survival patterns, leading to a shift in roadkill timing rather than an increase in overall incidence.
• Understanding these temporal patterns is crucial for implementing targeted mitigation strategies to reduce pheasant-wildlife vehicle collisions.