Pheasants in the open near the highway?

[Meatwad]

I saw 7 Pheasant this morning along highway 312 in Chanhassen, and was wondering if that is a good or bad sign?

Does this mean the birds are getting low on food and exiting their cover to find food?

Does this mean the population is up, and we will see the birds more frequently?

There were 6 roosters and one hen by the way.

[Rooster Chaser]

I think it means that there is more development in the area I grew up around, but that is just me.

If they were right by the road they may have been getting gravel, which is probably not a good place for them to be frequenting.

[Dave S]

It's natural for birds to be on the side of the road. They need the gravel to help digest their food. The activity you saw is called gritting.

[Brade4]

I saw ten today withing 3 miles. 6 hens, 4 roosters

[Musky Buck]

Also, the trucks hauling grain/corn spill some that gets frozen onto the side/shoulders of the road and lob in some grit and the pheazzy's are happy, been seeing a lot of birds around the buckman/little falls area.

[Musky Buck]

Meaning, the shoulders of the roads are thawing some now so they can kill 2 birds with 1 stone, main reason is the grit I would guess.