Guide to Wildlife Identification
What You
Should Know | Finding Wildlife
| Game or Non-Game | Techniques
| Signs | Distribution
| Warning for Hunters | Final
Quiz | Over 100 Wildlife Fact
Sheets
Chukar(Alectoris chukar)Size:
Distribution in North America: |
The chukar is an Eurasian partridge that has been introduced into the western United States for hunting. Introductions into the northeastern U.S. have been largely unsuccessful. Nests under shrubs or around rocks. Creates a simple depression scratched in the ground and lined with leaves and feathers. |
Habitat:
- Prefers dry grasslands or desert areas with shrub cover and steep slopes.
- Eats green plants and insects during summer.
- In winter, found around rivers and farmlands, eating seeds and berries.
- Will move from higher elevations to lower ones during heavy snows.
Notes:
- Calls out a loud “chukar” or a repetitive “chuk-chuk-chukar-chukar.”
- Roosts on the ground beneath sagebrush or junipers, or in open rocky areas.
Be sure to check local regulations for hunting or trapping information on this species.
