BALOCHISTAN

CONSERVATION CHUKAR PARTRIDGE (ALECTORIS CHUKAR)

SOCIETY

Informative note on Endangered Species of Balochistan |

 CHUKAR PARTRIDGE (ALECTORIS CHUKAR)

Chukar Partridge (Alectoris Chukar)

The Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar) is a
Eurasian upland gamebird in the pheasant
family Phasianidae. It has been considered to
form a superspecies complex along with the
Rock Partridge, Philby's Partridge and
Przevalski's Partridge and treated in the past
as conspecific particularly with the first. This
partridge has well marked black and white
bars on the flanks and a black band running
from the forehead across the eye and running down the head to form a necklace that encloses a white
throat. The species has been introduced into many other places and feral populations have established
themselves in parts of North America and New Zealand. It is the national bird of Pakistan.

Description
The Chukar is a rotund 32–35 cm (13–14 in) long partridge, with a light brown back, grey breast, and
buff belly. The shades vary across the various
populations. The face is white with a black
gorget. It has rufous-streaked flanks, red legs
and coral red bill. Sexes are similar, the
female slightly smaller in size and lacking the
spur. The tail has 14 feathers, the third
primary is the longest while the first is level
with the fifth and sixth primaries.

It is very similar to the Rock Partridge

(Alectoris graeca) with which it has been
lumped in the past but is browner on the back and has a yellowish tinge to the foreneck. The sharply
defined gorget distinguishes this species from the Red-legged Partridge which has the black collar
breaking into dark streaks near the breast. Their song is a noisy chuck-chuck-chukar-chukar from which
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the name is derived. The Barbary partridge (Alectoris barbara) has the a reddish brown rather than black
collar with the grey throat and face with a chestnut crown they get threatened. Other common names
of this bird include Chukker (sometimes spelled as 'Chuker' or 'Chukor'), Indian Chukar and Keklik.

Distribution and habitat

This partridge has its native range in Eurasia, in Israel, Turkey, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan along the
inner ranges of the Western Himalayas to Nepal. Further west in southeastern Europe it is replaced by
the Red-legged Partridge, Alectoris rufa.
Their habitat in the native range is
rocky open hillsides with grass or
scattered scrub or cultivation. It is
mainly found at an altitude of 2000
to 4000 m except in Pakistan, where
it occurs at 600m. They are not
found in areas of high humidity or
rainfall.

This Bird was native in Different

Parts of hilly and Rocky parts of
Balochistan Such as Chagai, Noshki,
Kharan, Mastung, Khuzdar, Chiltan, Musakhel, Loralai etc.

It has been introduced widely as a game bird and feral populations have established in the United States
Rocky Mountains, high desert areas of California, Canada, New Zealand and Hawaii. Initial introductions
into the US were from the nominate populations collected from Afghanistan and Nepal. It has also been
introduced to New South Wales in Australia but breeding populations have not persisted and are
probably extinct.

Systematics and taxonomy

The Chukar Partridge is part of a confusing group of "Red-legged Partridges". Several plumage variations
within the widespread distribution of the Chukar Partridge have been described and designated as
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subspecies. In the past the Chukar group was included with the Rock Partridge (also known as the Greek
Partridge). The species from Turkey and farther east was subsequently separated from A. graeca of
Greece and Bulgaria and Western Europe.

Population and status

This species is relatively unaffected by hunting or loss of habitat. Its numbers are largely affected by
weather patterns during the breeding season. The release of captive stock in some parts of southern
Europe can threaten native populations of Rock Partridge and Red-legged Partridge with which they may
hybridize.

In Balochistan the population of this specie is greatly affect due to over hunting and the long drought
that hit Balochistan since 1998.

Behavior and ecology

In the non-breeding season, Chukar Partridge are found in small coveys of 10 or more (up to 50) birds. In
summer, Chukars form pairs to breed. During this time, the cocks are very pugnacious calling and
fighting. During winter they descend into the valleys and feed in fields. The call frequently during the
day especially in the mornings and evenings. The call is loud and includes loud repeated "Chuck" notes
and sometimes duetting "Chukar" notes.
Several calls varying with context have
been noted. The commonest call is a
"rallying call" which when played back
elicits a response from birds and has
been used in surveys, although the
method is not very reliable. When
disturbed, it prefers to run rather than
fly, but if necessary it flies a short
distance often down a slope on
rounded wings, calling immediately after alighting. In Utah, birds were found to forage in an area of
about 2.6 km and travel up to 4.8 km to obtain water during the dry season. The home range was found
to be even smaller in Idaho.

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The breeding season is summer. Males perform tidbit ting displays, a form of courtship feeding where
the male pecks at food and a female may visit to peck in response. The males may chase females with
head lowered, wing lowered and neck fluffed. The male may also performs a high step stiff walk while
making a special call. The female may then crouch in acceptance and the male mounts to copulate,
while grasping the nape of the female.
Males are monogynies. The nest is a
scantily lined ground scrape, though
occasionally a compact pad is created
with a depression in the center.
Generally, the nests are sheltered by
ferns and small bushes, or placed in a
dip or rocky hillside under an
overhanging rock. About 7 to 14 eggs
are laid. The eggs hatch in about 23–25
days. In captivity they can lay an egg each day during the breeding season if eggs are collected daily.
Chicks join their parents in foraging and will soon join the chicks of other members of the covey.

Chukar will take a wide variety of seeds and some insects as food. It also ingests grit. In Kashmir, the
seeds of a species of Eragrostis was particularly dominant in their diet while those in the US favored
Bromus tectorum. Birds feeding on succulent vegetation make up for their water needs but visit open
water in summer.

Chukar roost on rocky slopes or under shrubs. In winter, birds in the US selected protected niches or
caves. A group may roost in a tight circle with their heads pointed outwards to conserve heat and keep a
look out for predators. Chukars are sometimes preyed on by Golden Eagles.

Birds in captivity can die from mycoplasma infection and outbreaks of other diseases such as Erysipelas.

In culture
The Chukar is the National bird of Pakistan. In Punjab, the Chukar has been considered as a symbol of
intense, and often unrequited, love. It was considered to be enamored by the moon and said to
constantly gaze at it. Due to their pugnacious behavior during the breeding season they are kept in some
areas as fighting birds.

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British sportsmen in India considered the Chukar as good sport although they were not considered to be
particularly good in flavor. Their fast flight and ability to fly some distance after being shot made
recovery of the birds difficult without retriever dogs. During cold winters, when the higher areas are
covered in snow, people in Kashmir have been known to use a technique to tire the birds out to catch
them.

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