Expert: Julia Booth - 4/27/2008

Question
QUESTION: Can Pheasants smeal there seeds there are pecking for under the snow or are there nostrils just for breathing purposes

ANSWER: Where do you live that it's still snowing in late April?

Pheasants supposedly have a keen sense of smell, but they're also one of the easiest game birds to catch, so I don't know how much good it does them. They're not very bright, hence them being near the bottom of the food chain.

They are looking for food, bugs and vegetation under the snow. It's possible that they smell the seeds. I'm assuming you planted them and are concerned about the pheasant doing damage? They will poke through the snow looking for anything to eat.

Depending on where you live, some places pest management will help get rid of problem pheasants. They are especially deteremental to grain crops.

Hope this helps,

Julia

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: We live in Enderlin N.D. and yes we just received 3 inches. My husband and his brother are argung if the pheasants can smeel a kernel of corn is that why they are pecking through the snow or do the just remember of know there was a crop there befor or not

Answer
I'm not sure if they can actually smell it, but if you're concerned about them compromising your crops, I would definitely notify the local animal control authorities. Phesants can decimate entire fields of grain.

Chances are that they're just looking for food, though. I have read that cold weather makes things easier to smell -but I've only heard that in relationship to hunting dogs. I don't know about birds. Bird vary greatly on their senses. Some have excellent sight, other's terrible. Some have no sense of smell.