[EBB Sightings] Perplexity about Chukar sightings

 

Several years ago in the late 90's some person or persons maybe with good
intentions but not understanding the dynamics of releasing farm raised
chukars set loose several crates of chukars in the Oakland hills on EBRPD
parks. Also from time to time there tends to be a release and We (Oakland &
EBRPD staff) are interested in talking to these folks. What happened the
first time and it is archived in the newspaper was crates from a Petaluma
farm were found after an estimated couple hundred chukars were found eaten
by predators by hikers. It looked like a massacre because these birds were
easy pickings for predators not knowing how to survive outside of their
cages. From that time chukars have been seen throughout the City of Oakland
and the ones in the dome cage are captures found by citizens or animal
control. Also chukars are sold for food in some markets and when bought
again by citizens and kept in their back yards they will escape thus
creating this species of bird to be found here and there throughout the Bay
area. To prevent these birds from fighting with each other in closed
confines metal rings are placed in the nose. Hope this clears up some
perplexity. 


Stephanie Benavidez
Natralist at Lake Merritt






-----Original Message-----
From: sightings-bounces at diabloaudubon.com
To: ebbsightings
Sent: 10/25/06 8:21 AM
Subject: Re: [EBB Sightings] Perplexity about Chukar sightings

Charles Waltner wrote:

> This is odd. Earlier in the year I also spotted a Chukar partridge in 
> Oakland, off of Athol Ave. near Lake Merritt. Can anyone comment on 
> this? I assumed it was an escapee from somewhere. Are there wild
chukars 
> that live in the East Bay foothills? This doesn't seem possible.

There are always Chukars in the globe cage at the Lake Merritt nature
center (where we're meeting at 9:30 this morning for a GGAS-sponsored
bird walk, free and open to anyone, hint, hint), so one near the lake
might have escaped from there. Though I'm not sure why it'd want to get
out, except maybe too much company....

-- 
- Hilary Powers - hilary at powersedit.com - Oakland CA -
-   Freelance copyediting and developmental editing  -
-      The edit you want, when you want it done.     -


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