Habitat preferences of Chukar partridge in Sewagali game reserve of Swat district Kyhber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan
Habitat preferences of Chukar partridge in Sewagali game reserve of Swat district Kyhber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan
Fazal Baqi Kakakhel
ABSTRACT
This paper is based on a research project carried out to study comparative ecology of Black partridge (Francolinus francolinus), Grey partridge (Francolinus pondicerianus) and Chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar) in Sewegali Game reserve District Swat Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Animals select resources for food, cover and nest sites. If a variety of habitats are available to an animal, it selects some and avoids others. We examined habitat preferences of Chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar) in Sewegali Game Reserve. The main method used for collecting data was line transects. We observed 146 Chukar partridges; identified six habitat types and were mapped using GIS and field surveys. The species occurred in five out of six available habitat types; agricultural fields, shrub lands, mountain slopes, grass lands and barren rocks. Chi-square tests showed the species displayed significant habitat selection in relation to the availability. The species showed highly significant habitat and preferred mountain slopes highly significantly. The species preferred northerly aspects and foraged in the morning and evening to reduces stress heat. The findings conformed generally to other studies on the species.
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March 2012
Vol. 62, Iss. 1
