Bees, monarch butterflies and other pollinators struggling in the face of disappearing habitat and other threats have a new ally in the form of pheasants, which are experiencing their own long-term decline even after last year's rebound.
The ally, more specifically, is Pheasants Forever, which is hosting a pollinator symposium Friday, "Bees, Butterflies, Birds and You," featuring eight top pollinator experts at the organization's National Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The presentation is free to the public.
Pheasant Fest, focusing on wildlife conservation, upland game bird habitat, dog training, and habitat management and restoration, continues through the weekend and is expected to draw some 30,000 visitors.
Pheasants Forever also will use the gathering to announce the launch of the Bee & Butterfly Habitat Fund, which will offer landowners in Minnesota and five other states rental payments, free seed and other incentives to establish pollinator-friendly habitats on underperforming acres. The introduction of the fund, which Pheasants Forever co-founded and has support from agribusiness companies, commercial beekeepers and the honey-packing industry will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday on the habitat stage at Pheasant Fest.
Pheasants Forever has taken up the cause because pollinators and upland game birds thrive in the same kind of habitat.
"Pollinators need, whether you're talking about monarch butterflies, honeybees or native bees, the exact kind of habitat that we need to have the best pheasant and quail habitat," said Pete Berthelsen, director of habitat partnerships for Pheasants Forever. "It's a real unique fit and a real opportunity to explain to our Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever members how great pollinator habitat is the same kind of habitat we want."
Berthelsen described that as "high-quality, high-diversity" habitat with green succulents or flowering plants that will attract small insects, which he said make up 95 percent of the diet of pheasant and quail chicks. It also makes for ideal brood rearing habitat and good nesting cover.
"When they become an adult and they reach the fall they can switch over to plants, corn and soybeans and things like that," Berthelsen said. "But as a young growing chick, they need an energy pack, and that energy pack is small soft-bodied insects."