Chuckar Partridge

Description: The chuckar partridge is a short, round, grayish-brown bird with a black mask running across the forehead and through the eyes to the sides of the head and down the front of the neck. The underside of the face is cream-colored; the wings are cream-colored with black bars. The legs and feet are red. Males and females are identical. Average size: 12-15 inches. Average weight: 1-1 ½ pounds.

Science: Chuckar take their name from the male birds’ call. They’re found primarily in the arid mountain areas of the western United States and southern Canada, where they like rocky slopes mixed with vegetation and nearby water sources. These highly mobile birds will often travel distances as far as several dozen miles between their summer and their lower-elevation winter areas. They form coveys consisting of several dozen birds and mostly eat leaves and seeds of grasses, though they will also eat the seeds and fruits of many other plants. Their population is slowly increasing due to stocking efforts.

Hunting: Because of their preferred terrain, they can be difficult and physically challenging to hunt. Chuckar are known to run uphill instead of flushing. Many hunters use pointing dogs; another common method is to use of a system of uphill blockers. The eating quality is excellent: the meat is white and mild.