Chukar Partridge

The chukar partridge is found in the interior of the province. It is native to India, Pakistan and Afghanistan and has spread with help from humans across 6 provinces and 40 US states. The chukar partridge is the national bird of Pakistan, and in Indian mythology, the chukar partridge is in love with the moon and looks at it constantly. These game birds are prized as a challenge by hunters because of the terrain they live in, and the explosive speed they exhibit when first flushed from cover. Partridge prefer dry mountain slopes or grasslands with nearby rocky outcroppings where they can hide. They rarely fly but are excellent runners and hop across rocky terrain. They eat seeds, grasses, bulbs, stems, fruit and leaves, as well as small insects such as grasshoppers, caterpillars, crickets and ants. The effect the chukar partridge has on native British Columbian species is unknown. It may be a competitor for food and habitat with other grassland game birds. The chukar partridge appeared in North America in 1893, imported from India to Illinois. In 1940, it arrived in British Columbia where it was introduced near Dog Creek in the interior as a game bird for hunters. In 1950, the BC Game Commission released more birds near Kamloops, and again the following year around Oliver in the Okanagan Valley. The introduced birds successfully established themselves and expanded their range across the Thompson-Okanagan region in central-southern British Columbia.

General issues across the Sub Region will be addressed below, followed by management plans specific to individual populations.

Issues:

• Lack of data on population dynamics in Sub Region
• There may be herbicide spraying in regions in the Sub Region that may be affecting birds that eat or depend on the sprayed plants

Goals:

• Implement studies to determine population dynamics
• Determine where and when herbicide spraying occurs, and what plant species are being treated
• Determine if the herbicide spraying is affecting chukar partridge populations