Chukar
Alectoris chukar (J.E. Gray, 1930)
Alectoris graeca cypriotes Hertert: Patev 1950: 328.
Order Galliformes
Family Phasianidae
Conservation status: in Bulgaria: Endangered EN, BDA-IV; International: BeC-III, BD-II/2.
General distribution. Probably a Turkestan-Mediterranean species, distributed from Southeastern Bulgaria and the island of Crete, in the north up to 55° N, in the south up to the Sinai peninsula, Pakistan and Afganistan, in the east to China.
Distribution and abundance in Bulgaria. Resident. Its natural habitats are from the Asenovgrad-Zlatograd line in the east to the town of Grudovo, in the north to the town of Nova Zagora, in the south to the state border [1]. Until the middle of the 20th century, it was numerous in the regions of the cities of Haskovo and Kardzhali [2]. In the 1970s and 1980s it was settled in many places in the Thracian lowland, the Danube lowland and along the Black Sea coast. [3], the numbers of the settled birds reaching 50 000 yearly. The spring reserve at the end of the 80s according to the Bulgarian Hunting and Fishing Union was about 75 000 individuals [3]. The following estimates were many times lower: 600 – 1 000 pairs [4], 2 000 – 3 000 pairs [5]. The highest numbers are in the mountains Eastern Rhodopes and Sakar. In the last 10 years there was a sharp decline, at places to a full disappearance from traditional habitats in the Sakar Planina mountain. Some of the artificially created populations also disappeared.
Habitats. Open hilly landscapes and eroded rocky terrains with thorny bushes close to fields, mainly at altitudes between 150 and 900 m.
Biology. During the multiplication period it is in pairs, that form in March-April. The nest is located in a hole in the ground. The clutch consists of 7-17 eggs, coloured with small red-brown spots. There is inter-species and intraspecies nesting parasitism with respect to the partridge. [7]. In the autumn and in the winter it forms flocks. Its food is various, mainly vegetable [8, 9].
Similar species. The Rock Partridge (Alectoris graeca).
Negative factors. Decrease of the nutrition base because of the decay of small-scale agriculture; human poaching; expansion of the natural hybrid zone with the Balkan Partridge and obtaining inter-species hybrids with a markedly reduced adaptive potential.
Conservation measures taken. Protected according to the Biological Diversity Act.
Conservation measures needed. Preservation of the habitats and stimulation of small-scale corn production. Settling only in the natural habitats of a small number of birds bred in a semi-free fashion by normal or step parents.
References. 1. Botev, 1981; 2. Patev, 1950; 3. Simeonov et al., 1990; 4. Kostadinova, 1997; 5. Nankinov et al., 2004; 6. Petrov, 1950; 7. Georgiev, 1964; 8. Georgiev, 1963; 9. Georgiev, 1961.
Author: Ventseslav Delov
