Chukar Watering Patterns and Water Site Selection

Abstract

We evaluated chukar (Alectoris chukar) watering patterns as well as habitat variables influencing water site selection in western Utah. Motion-sensing cameras and chukar dropping counts were primary techniques to evaluate watering patterns. We took vegetative and other habitat measurements at each water source (n 5 43) to discriminate use from nonuse sites using logistic regression. Chukars watered during daylight hours with a modal hour from 1200 hours to 1300 hours daylight savings time. Annual patterns suggest limited use of water sources from November to May with first observed visits occurring in June and last observed visits in October. Shrub canopy cover was the only variable to discriminate between site types (P , 0.01). Cross validation showed a predictive success rate of 84%. Significant differences were found between use and nonuse sites in terms of security cover (P , 0.01), but not total cover (P. 0.05). Chukars seem to have a loose shrub canopy threshold near 11% that is likely due to predation risk. Water sources meeting this threshold received use, whereas those not meeting this threshold did not. Increasing shrub canopy cover above 11% did not translate into increased water source use. Managers might want to consider annual patterns when setting hunt season timing and structure as well as judging sites for new water developments based on shrub canopy cover. More generally, these results suggest a behavioral constraint on the use of water sources as a function of predation risk-we should expect other species to demonstrate similar behavioral constraints. These constraints must be considered in any effort to determine benefits or impacts of water developments. Resumen Evaluamos los patrones de toma de agua del ''Chukar'' (Alectoris chukar), así como variables del hábitat que influencian en la selección del aguaje en el oeste de Utah. Las te´cnicas principales para evaluar los patrones de toma de agua fueron cámaras con sensor de movimiento y conteos deposiciones de ''Chukar.'' Tomamos mediciones de la vegetación y del hábitat en cada aguaje (n 5 43) para discriminar los sitios de uso y no uso mediante regresión logística. Los ''Chukars'' se abastecen de agua durante las horas con luz y la moda fue de las 1200 a las 1300 horas. Los patrones anuales sugieren el uso limitado de los aguajes de noviembre a mayo, las primeras vistas observadas ocurrieron en junio y las últimas en octubre. La cobertura de copa de los arbustos fue la única variable para discriminar entre tipos de sitio (P , 0.01). La validación cruzada mostró una tasa éxito de predicción de 84%. Se encontraron diferencias significativas entre los sitios de uso y no uso en términos de cobertura de seguridad (P , 0.01), pero no para la cobertura total (P. 0.05). Los ''Chukars'' parecen tener un umbral de la copa de arbustos cercana al 11%, debido probablemente al riesgo de predación. Los aguajes que cumplen con este umbral recibieron uso, mientras que aquellos que no reunieron esta condición no se utilizaron. Aumentar la cobertura de copa de...

Small game water troughs in a Spanish agrarian pseudo steppe: visits and water site choice by wild fauna

“…It is encouraging to see that the findings of this study have provided some support to the assumption that WT choice by prey species is based on self-protection strategies (Larsen et al 2007a). A follow-up of the present study could examine the effect of shrub characteristics (height and density) and other ecological and behavioral reasons that could have had a final influence on partridges, lagomorphs, and other birds choice.…”

“…In the case of partridges, we disagree with Benolkin (1988) and Larsen et al (2007a) because they stated that water trough choice in chukar partridges is strongly influenced by the shrub canopy cover, so the destruction of security cover around water troughs would preclude establishment and use by chukars. Nevertheless, both types of troughs were used by red-legged partridges and open were preferred in our study.…”

“…In this way, some studies carried out on chukar partridges in the US (Alectoris chukar Gray, 1830) confirm that the vegetal cover is one of the most important variables to be considered (Benolkin 1988;Larsen et al 2007a). On the other hand, many managers have decided to fence the WT from predators (Sánchez, personal observation), but it is necessary to test the effect on target species and possible predators.…”

“…One of the aims of this study was to investigate the effect of vegetal cover on small game use (Benolkin 1988;Moreno et al 1996;Pongrácz and Altbäcker 2000;Larsen et al 2007a), thus, each WT had two water troughs (Agrocinegética Modelo S.L., Spain), situated in two different environments; one called open and the other called protected (Fig. 3) and the distance between them was 50 m. The vegetation around the protected troughs covered the area of a circle centered at the water source with a radius of 3-5 m and the species were brambles (Rubis idaeus), rockroses (Cistius albidus), and brooms (Cytisus scoparius).…”

What happens to translocated game birds that ‘disappear’?

“…Because guzzler use is inversely related to moisture availability in vegetation (Larsen et al, 2007), by early July, the birds become dependent on the stored water provisioned by the fiberglass guzzlers and rare springs. The guzzler system at China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station (CLNAWS) was previously described (Delehanty, Eaton & Campbell, 2004).…”