Summary of Foreign Game Bird Propagation and Liberations, 1960 to 1963

Book excerpt: State reports covering the propagation and trial liberation of foreign game birds are summarized from the period 1960 through 1963. Details are then provided in tabular form. Of the 21 species and subspecies and 6 crosses reported, only the sandgrouse and the Himalayan snowcock have not yet been produced in numbers in captivity. Increasing consideration is being given to the production of well-reared birds conditioned for survival in the wild following release. In all 78,217 individuals, mostly pheasants, are reported to have been raised for trial liberation from breeders provided through the Foreign Game Introduction Program. These releases supplement 16,145 birds wild-trapped and sent to cooperating States for trial release. While, for most species under trial, it is still too early to evaluate results, some are evident. Iranian pheasants, black francolin and gray francolin have demonstrated the ability to survive, reproduce and increase substantially on release areas. Conversely, Indian sandgrouse and two other species have probably failed to adapt themselves and the semi-domestic strain of Reeve's pheasant is barely hanging on. Six other species are maintaining themselves in numbers sufficient to justify guarded optimism.