Chakor Partridge: National bird of Pakistan

“Chukar Partridge” is a national bird of Pakistan. It is deliberate as a national symbol of Pakistan. It has a stunning voice. In Punjab, Chakar is perceived as a sign of passion and love. The scientific name of chukar is Alectoris chukar.Eurasia is the origin of the bird Chakor.

Chakor is considered complex superspecies of birds. It is also known as a ‘game bird.’ The species is now traced to western North America, Hawaii, and New Zealand. Chakor lives in rocky places, on top of mountains and desert areas. It is known as a hunting bird among other wildlife species.

It is commonly found in Pakistan to Afghanistan. “Chakor” is the Public name of chukar in Pakistan. The Kingdom of Chukar Partridge is Animalia and belongs to the Aves class. Its Phylum is Chordata, and the Order of the chakor bird is Galliformes. The family of the chukar is Phasiianidae, and its genus is Alectoris. The species type that the chakor bird belongs to is a Chukar.

Physical Appearance of Chakor

Chakor usually has a brownish-grey body, having black and white stripes on wings and a black gorge. The physical appearance of chukar is 32-35 cm long, with grey breasts, a light brown back, and a buff belly.

The shades may differ in various populations. Chukar’s face is white. It has a coral bill, and its legs having color is red. Chukar is similar sex, but the female size is slightly small. It has a tail with 14 feathers.

The bird has red legs; due to this, they are confused with the birds of other breeds, but some traits make them different from other birds, like the buff bellies, and they’re distinct.

The Average Length of chukar is 35–38 cm, and the normal Speed of chakor birds is 20 km/h. The average weight of males is (538–765) g and females (is 367-538) g. The average Life span of a chukar is 2-5 years in the wild, and it chooses to live in rocky, steep, and open hillsides.

Some Facts about the Chakor bird

Habitatof National Bird of Pakistan

Chakor’s native range is found in Pakistan, India, Iran, Syria, Israel, Iraq, Afghanistan, Nepal, and Turkey. However, Chakor’s red-legged partridge can be found in Europe, while in North America, Canada, and New Zealand, these birds were brought from Afghanistan and Nepal. Chakor can be traced in Canada, North America, New Zealand, and Chile in a wide range.

Chakors are usually habitats in high-elevation areas in a dry climate with rocky hillsides, mountains, terrains, scattered grass, or scrubby ground. The birds are found in regions with elevations between 6000 ft. and 13000 ft., while in Pakistan, they can be found at the height of 2000 ft. in the North-Western side of the country.

Chakors do not live in humidity or rainfall; they prefer hot weather and stay near water. Therefore, chakors are often found in agricultural areas for food in winter, while in summer, they continuously move in rocky areas and deserts.

In Jorden and Israel, Chukar is present at low altitudes. It is found at an altitude starting from 400 m, and in the area of the Dead Sea, it is found below sea level. They are not present due to weather issues in the areas of rainfall or dampness.

It has familiarized itself as a willing bird Chukar regressive population established in the United States (Great Basin, Rocky Mountains of California, New Zealand, Chile, Canada, and Argentina. It is also familiar to Australia in South Wales, but breeding populaces have not persevered. In South Africa, it was familiarized in 1964, and minor inhabitants occurred on Robben Island.

The Chukar willingly breeds with red-legged partridge, and rehearsal of breeding and emancipating captive-bred amalgams has been excluded in numerous kingdoms counting the United Kingdom, as it is a danger to uninhabited populaces.

Status and Population

This class is comparatively unpretentious by loss of habitat or hunting. Its quantities are mostly exaggerated by climate arrangements throughout the breeding period. The announcement of imprisoned standards in some portions of Europe can portend natural inhabitants of red-legged partridge and rock partridge which they crossbreed.

In India, British sportsmen deliberated the chukar as a noble sport even though they are not measured to be the noblest in flavor. The ability of chukar to fly and fast flight after existence bang made retrieval of the birds problematic deprived of retriever dogs. In winter seasons, when the upper areas are concealed in snowfall, Kashmir people have been using a method to enervate the birds out to latch them.

Ecology and Behavior

In the season of non-breeding, chukar partridge are established in minor coveys of 11 or extra birds. Chukars in summertime form couples to breed. Throughout this time, the cocks are aggressive in their mission. In the winter season, they fall away into the hills and nourish the grounds.

Behavior of Chakor

It is a very challenging bird in terms of its behavior. Chakor usually moves in groups; they are mostly running instead of flying when alone. In winter, Chakor flies in groups of 5-40 birds. These birds are monogamous, and males are responsible for protecting their children during breeding.

Chakor has unique instincts for danger as it creates a unique voice in case of any threat on the ground and in the air. As a result, Chakor is one of the most challenging birds to hunt. That is why it is known as Game Bird. As they quickly fly and can disappear in bushes within seconds.

Chukars are considered hard to hunt without hunting dogs. In the article hunting the Desert Dweller, Bill Tarrant was a wilderness survivalist who wrote his article, “Few hunters double on Chakors, and those who triple belong in some hall of fame.”

Chakor has a tropical and demanding nature. In some areas of Pakistan, the breeding of the collar is for hunting to take place. However, it is considered illegal by the government of Pakistan. Hunting seasons for Chakors in Pakistan and Afghanistan are the months of June and July.

Nourishment

Chukars are earth ground searchers and mainly lactovegetarian as grown-ups; baby birds are nourished mostly by insects. Chukar in America’s desired foods is shrubberies and spores of perennial and annual grasslands (primarily familiarized cheatgrass). Pinyon pine seed is also the food of chukar, wild fiddleneck sunflower, and tansy mustard. Green grass shrubberies deliver the bulk of their food during the winter season.

Nesting

The nest of Chukars hides near brush on mountain slopes and rocks or under saltbush, sagebrush, desert tea, or goldenbush. The nesting site is located on the ground’s surface; they hide the nest under a bush or a rock and then cover it with thick grass layers, branches of plants, and birds’ feathers. After tilting the head, the male bird rotates around the female.

NESTING FACTS

The chukar willingly breeds with red-legged partridge, and the rehearsal of breeding and emancipating captive-bred amalgams has been excluded in numerous nation-states counting the United Kingdom because it is a danger to uninhabited populaces.

Chakor Conservation

Initially, chakors were found in Eurasia; they were exported to North America through South Asia during the 1930s and have been safely bred there. As a result, chakors have been successfully expanding their habitat in western states of America, including California, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado and, British Columbia, Canada, and their distribution across the globe.

The population of Chakor is around 10 million; according to North American Breeding Bird Survey, they define their species as unaffected by hunting. Therefore the species of Chakors are not endangered presently.

Cultural Significance of Chakors

Chakors are national birds of Pakistan. They are considered a gesture of good luck in native culture. The word Chakor means “intense love.”This word is taken from the Sanskrit language. Chakors are presumed to worship the moon and are found chiefly gazing at the moon in Indian mythology. The name of chukar is derived from their song chuck-chuck-chukar-chukar. Chukker, Chukor, Indian chukar, chuker and keklik are some common name of chukar.

Some Facts about the Chakor bird

Eggs of Chakor

Chakor lays eggs from 8 to 14, sometimes between 6 and 20 or even more. The eggs of the national bird of Pakistan are generally yellow or pale beige and have reddish-brown spots. Usually, the females incubate for a period of 22 and 24 days. If the female puts two separate clutches of eggs, in that condition, the male usually hatches one while the female incubates the other.

Diet of Chakor

The diet of the Chakor varies in different seasons. The national bird of Pakistan usually eats leaves, berries, insects, and seeds. Plenty of food is found in the Eurasia Diet. Grasses are the primary source of food, like seeds and leaves.

Chakor’s main diet is the seed, like bromine and Russian thistle in Winter. Chakor usually likes to eat paradise tree berries. The Chakor eat green leaves and insects in Spring and Summer.

Pakistan is considered home to some of the world’s rarest and most unique birds because of its diverse climate and terrain. Every year millions of birds migrate toward Pakistan. Migrated birds are attracted to the beautiful lakes and different wetlands of Pakistan. Birds mainly migrate to Siberia, in the forests and mountains, and to their native birds.

It provides an excellent opportunity for bird watchers around the world. The government of Pakistan has established a sanctuary for many birds, so local and migratory birds will make their survival possible. During the hunting season, hunters can only hunt with a permit or license.