Utah State University

Title

The Effects of Available Water Upon Populations of Chukar Partridge on Desert Mountains of Utah

Author

William W. Shaw, Utah State University

Date of Award:

1971

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department name when degree awarded

Wildlife Biology

Advisor/Chair:

Jessop B. Low

Abstract

The importance of surface water to chukar partridges (Alectoris graeca) and the feasibility of rain-catchment devices for improving chukar habitat were studied on the Thomas and Dugway Mountain Ranges in western Utah during 1969 and 1970.

Sources of surface water were removed from one mountain rang~ and chukar populations on that range were compared with populations on an adjacent range with permanent sources of water.

Providing drinking water did not improve chukar productivity, survival, or availability to hunters. Although most birds concentrated around water supplies in the summer, some chukars appeared to live completely independent of any permanent sources of surface water. Food habits of chukars near water did not differ from those in waterless areas.

It was concluded that in habitats comparable to those studied, installation of rain-catchment devices is not a feasible technique for improving chukar habitat.

Comments

This work made publicly available electronically on January 28, 2013.

Recommended Citation

Shaw, William W., "The Effects of Available Water Upon Populations of Chukar Partridge on Desert Mountains of Utah" (1971). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations. Paper 1440.
http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/1440