Habitat Use and Home Range of Gray Partridge in Eastern South Dakota

Abstract

Gray partridge (P. perdix) habitat use was studied in eastern South Dakota by monitoring 46 radio-tagged birds between Dec. 22, 1978 and Aug. 21, 1980. Partridge conveys used pastures in a winter with deep snow (56 cm, 1979) and row crops in a winter with little snow (4 cm, 1980). During spring dispersal, partridge used many different habitat types. Idle habitat (roadside, fencerows, shelterbelts) was used in late spring during the nesting period and small grain crops in early summer as brood-rearing cover. Partridge used standing row crops during late summer after small grain harvest. They continued to use row crops after fall harvest. Partridge did not use different habitat types during 3 diurnal time periods. Mean home range was 96 ha (N = 8); individual home ranges were variable (SD = 110.6). Variability in home range may be related to season, weather and stage in the partridge life cycle.