Is a rooster a conivor???

[percherman]

I would never have believed it if I had not seen it with my own eyes but, while coming off the refuge at Waubay a rooster was on the side of the road with a mouse in its beak. I stopped to get my camera out but he was to fast and crossed the road right in front of us. I guess just when you have thought you have seen it all, something just jumps up and lets you know there is a lot more in this old world that mother nature has going on behind the seens that we dont know about.

Answer me this. Was the rooster playing with the mouse, or was he going to dine on him?

[sdstatekid]

He might have been planning to dine on him. I'm not sure if they are carnivors but my grandpa told me he saw 2 roosters eating another dead rooster after a snowstorm a few years ago. I thought he was pulling my chain, but they might eat meat if it is easier to get than grain.

[rundrave]

Yes, if food is hard to come by I wouldnt see it out of the question for a pheasant to do that. Survival instinct I guess.

Pheasants will kill/eat eachother, thats why the pen raised ones have blinders.

[setterguy]

pheasant chicks rely almost soley on insects early in life, so eating a mouse wouldn't be out of the question...are you sure it wasn't a really smart hawk dressed up like a rooster? I've never seen it, but it is interesting.

[percherman]

I knew I was setting myself up for some heckling when I posted this. Well keep em comin, I have wide shoulders.

[percherman]

Quote:

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pheasant chicks rely almost soley on insects early in life, so eating a mouse wouldn't be out of the question...are you sure it wasn't a really smart hawk dressed up like a rooster?

I've never seen it, but it is interesting.

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Guys: I am Dissapointed in the lack of motivation or interest for a little fun on my behalf here.

Is this all the better you can do? Lets see a little creativity here.

[Tyler Holm]

Here is my creativity. I emailed the SD DNR office with the following question and response.

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Is there any information out there that confirms that pheasants may (at times) be carnivorous?

I've heard reports/sightings of pheasants eating mice/rodents and dead pheasants. Could they eat meat if instincts and survival come into play? Can you please provide further info if you have access to any. Thank-You in advance.

tyler

Tyler,

Thanks for sending your questions.

It is very unlikely that pheasants are going to display carnivorous characteristics. Pheasants survive on insects, seeds of numerous kinds, and other vegetation parts for their foods. Pheasant diets change during the year according to their needs, however it does not involve other animals. One simple reason for that might be explained due to a pheasants body structure. If you look close and compare the bill of a pheasant and that of any raptor, you will see a different shape and structure where raptors are designed for grabbing and tearing flesh, where as a pheasants is not.

[percherman]

Tyler: Way to serious man, you have to loosen up a little.

Great Info though! Sounds like it came from a book worm not a field agent. Ha Ha

[berke99]

In my younger days- while cleaning the chicken coop, I've seen chickens eat mice. They just pick'em up and swallow them whole. It was fun to watch'em go after the mice. As far as pheasants go- I couldn't say.

[Tyler Holm]

Yep, I think this guy was just going by the books. I though I would fire them a note and see what they had to say on the subject.