Dead birds

[Snappy]

I drive from newcastle to leeds every other weekend and i've noticed a lot of dead phesants by the side of the road. Have these been shot because they dont look as if they've been run over and if they have been shot then why are they just left by the road? Its not just phesants, i've seen crows too

[mrs.pudding]

No, the pheasants haven't been shot - at least not legally as they are out of season at the moment.  And if illegally, then the poacher would probably remove them!  It's more likely that they've suffered a glancing blow from a car which causes them to die from shock or the car has actually killed them but without causing much apparent damage.  Pheasants have an awful habit of lulling you into a false sense of security;  they tend to run away from the car and then suddenly change their mind at the last minute (when it's far too late for you to slow down) and run back towards their inevitable fate!   Perhaps the crows have been feeding on the pheasant carcases and have then met the same grisly end.

[Clanad]

Many birds, including the ones you mention, come to the roadside to peck at the sand and gravel, which they use for digestion in their craws.  If you were to look closely at the roadside barrow pits, you would find the bodies of smaller birds as well.  They are just not as visibile.  Having hunted pheasants for a number of years, I find that their flight habit is to flush straight up for about 3 to 6 feet and then begin to transition to flight horizontal with the ground.  This is usually where they are struck by automobiles.  It doesn't take much of a blow, as Snappy says, to injure them enought for them to die, if not killed outright...

[FP]

Living as I do in a county full of pheasants, I really do believe they have a death wish.  They run across the road in front of you safely, turn round and then run back straight into the car.  Beautiful looking birds, but not very bright in my experience.  Have some nesting behind our back hedge at the moment, bless them.

[FP]

Sorry, Mrs Pudding - I have just seen you have posted almost the same thing about the pheasants running back into cars.

[jake-the-peg]

I have to agree pheasants seem so mind cripplingly stupid it's a miracle they survive! I turned a corner last week only to have to stop because two **** birds were fighting in the middle of the road ( insert sexist comment of your choice here ).

Still hopefully a good supply of pheasants will continue to keep my chickens fox-free!

[jake-the-peg]

This obscenity filter is really taking the mick now!

That was 2 "male" birds

[SteveSxx]

Farmers kill birds and other wildlife and dump them over the hedge - because it's "illegal" to kill them - Badgers and foxes are to be found lined up by hedges round my way....