Study of survival, dispersal and home range of autumn-released red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa)

Abstract

1. On a private property with a stable population of wild red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) and an appropriate habitat for the survival of the species, reinforcement repopulations were carried out in the months of October and November for two consecutive years using 5- to 6-month-old birds reared on a commercial game farm.

2. Of the 36 released birds, none was still alive by the following spring's breeding period. Mean survival time was 9·4 d in the first year and 7·6 d in the second year.

3. Seventy-two per cent of mortality was attributable to predation, 11% to hunting and 17% to doubtful causes of death, accidents and starvation.

4. Post-release mean dispersion was 377·8 m in the first year and 526·3 m in the second. Mean home range was 7·1 ha in the first year and 5·4 ha in the second.

5. The production systems and handling practices of commercial game farms may have modified some anti-predator ethological patterns and strategies, which might make it more difficult for the birds to adapt and integrate into the wild, resulting in reduced survival due to premature mortality.

Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the Excma Diputación Provincial de Valladolid and the Junta de Castilla y León (Spain). Special thanks are extended to Dr Alison Hanlon who kindly assisted with this manuscript.