| The release of pen-reared ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) on wildlands is a common management practice to augment local pheasant populations. However, this management practice may facilitate disease transmission to wildlife populations at release sites. Studies focused on disease exposure of pen-reared pheasants and the potential for disease transmission can help guide management actions aimed at protecting wildlife populations. We investigated exposure to diseases in wild (n = 33) and pen-reared (n = 12) pheasants in the Central Valley of California during 2014 and 2015. We found positive serology for antibodies against hemorrhagic enteritis (HE, 58%), infectious bursal disease (IBD, 83%), and Newcastle disease (ND, 50%) in pen-reared pheasants. Wild pheasants also showed positive serology for antibodies against HE (15%), IBD (70%), and ND (18%) as well as infectious bronchitis virus (6%), infectious laryngotracheitis (3%), and Pasteurella multocida (9%). These results suggest that both wild and pen-reared pheasants show historical exposure to the above-mentioned organisms and appear to be potential disease reservoirs. Therefore, releasing pen-reared pheasants might put wild populations at higher risk of disease exposure. Additional research would benefit our understanding of disease interaction between pheasants and other bird species. |