Micro-histological analysis of faeces of Chukar partridge Alectoris chukar gray in Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India
Article Main
Abstract
In vivo studies on the feeding of Chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar Gray) in Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand and micro-histological analysis of 104 samples of its faeces were investigated during January 2011 to December 2012, to get information on vegetative and non-vegetative diet and feeding behaviour. Plant matter constituted a major portion of the faecal content (87.73±4.31?g) and represented by 14 families. Non- vegetative matter could be recorded as 9.36±1.46?g of dry weight which represented by 8 orders of the arthropods. Fine organic matter + grits constitute was found to be 2.84%±1.17?g in faecal content. Saxifragaceae, Graminaceae, Rosaceae, Poaceae and Fabaceae were found the best plant families for Chukar diet while arthropod insects order like Diptera, Dissotera, Hymenoptera and Araneae remained favorite feeds. Flowers and fruits of Rhus parviflora, leaves of Rumax, roots/ tuber of Vigna and fruits of Rubus were found important diet of Chukar partridge along with Triticum in Rabi crop and Oryza in Kharif. Flies, grasshoppers, spiders were observed the main insects diet of Chukar partridge.
Article Details
Article Details
Keywords
Arthropods, Chukar partridge, Faecal analysis, Plants
References
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Bergstrom, B.J. (2013). Would East African savanna rodents inhibit woody encroachment? Evidence from stable isotopes and microhistological analysis of feces. Journal of Mammalogy, 94(2): 436-447.
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Satakopan, S. (1972). Keys to the identification of Plant remain in animal droppings. Journal of Bombay Natural History Society, 60 (1): 139-150.
Sharp, D. (1968). Insects Part I. In Harmer and Shipley (eds.), The Cambridge Natural History. Codicote, England. Wheldon and Wesley, Ltd., Vol. (V): pp.584
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Warburton, C. (1968). Scorpions, spiders, mites, ticks. In Harmer and Shipley (Eds.), The Cambridge Natural History. Codicote, England. Wheldon and Wesley, Ltd. Vol. (IV).
Westerskov, K. (1966). Winter food and feeding habits of the partridge (Perdix perdix) in the Canadian Prairie. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 44: 303–322.
Alipayo, D., Valdez, R., Holechek, J.L. and Cardenas, M. (1992). Evaluation of microhistological analysis for determining ruminant diet botanical composition. Journal of Range Management, 45(2): 148-152.
Balestrieri, A., Remonti, L. and Prigioni, C. (2011). Assessing carnivore diet by faecal samples and stomach contents: a case study with alpine red foxes. Central European Journal of Biology, 6(2): 283-292.
Bergstrom, B.J. (2013). Would East African savanna rodents inhibit woody encroachment? Evidence from stable isotopes and microhistological analysis of feces. Journal of Mammalogy, 94(2): 436-447.
Birdlife International (2001). Threatened Birds of Asia: The Birdlife International Red Data Book. Birdlife International, Cambridge, U.K. (see http://www.rdb.or.id).
Bisht, M.S. and Phurilatpam, S. (2004). Distribution, group size and habitat preference of Cheer pheasant Catreus wallichii in Garhwal Himalaya. Bulletin of Environmental Sciences, XXII (2): 132-136.
Christensen, G.C. (1996). Chukar: Alectoris chukar. The Birds of North America, Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. Ed. Poole, F.G. pp. 1-20.
Eastman, D.S. and Jenkins, D. (1970). Comparative food habits of red grouse in northeast Scotland, using fecal analysis. Journal of Wildlife Management, 34: 612-620.
Galbreath, D.S. and Moreland, R. (1953). The Chukar partridge in Washington. Biology Bulletin 11. Washington Department of Game, Olympia, Washington, USA.
Gionfriddo, J.P. and Best, L.B. (1996). Grit color selection by house sparrows and northern bobwhites. Journal of Wildlife Management, 60: 836-842.
Hinnant, R.T. and Kothmann, M.M. (1988). Collecting, Drying, and Preserving Feces for Chemical and Microhistological Analysis. Journal of Range Management, 41(2): 168-171.
Holechek, J.L. (1982). Sample preparation techniques for microhistological analysis. Journal of Range Management, 35(2): 267-268.
Hume, A.O. and Marshall, C.H.T. (1879). The Game birds of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, and Sri Lanka, Calcutta, 1: 169–176.
Katona, K. and Altbacker, V. (2002). Diet estimation by faeces analysis: sampling optimisation for the European hare. Folia Zoologica, 51(1): 11-15.
Kobriger, G.D. (1977). Foods of Hungarian partridge in North Dakota. In: Proceeding of Perdix I. Hungarian partridge workshop (ed. G.D. Kobriger, 66–68). North Dakota Chapter of Wildlife Society.
Marti, C. (1982). Accuracy of faecal analysis for identifying foods of black grouse. Journal of Wildlife Management, 46(3): 773-777.
Middleton, A.O. and Chitty, H. (1937). The food of adult partridges, (Perdix perdix and Alectoris rufa) in Great Britain. Journal of Animal Ecology, 6: 322–336.
Moreby, S.J. (1993). Faecal analysis as a method for determining the invertebrate diet of Galliformes and its use in helping to assess food availability. In D. Jenkins (Ed.). Pheasants in Asia 1992. World Pheasant Association, 67-72.
Ndawula, J., Tweheyo, M., Tumusiime, D.M. and Eilu, G. (2011). Understanding sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekii) habitats through diet analysis in Rushebeya-Kanyabaha wetland, Uganda. African Journal of Ecology, 49: 481-489.
Ralph, C.P., Nagata, S.E. and Ralph, C.J. (1985). Analysis of droppings to describe diets of small birds. Journal of Field ornithology, 56 (2): 165-174.
Ridley, M.W. and Islam, K. (1987). Report on Cheer pheasant re-introduction project, Pakistan. In Savage and Ridley (Eds.) Pheasant in Asia 1982. Rekha Printers Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi. 150-166.
Rumble, M.A. and Anderson, S.H. (1993). Evaluating the microscopic fecal technique for estimating hard mast in turkey diets. United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, 310: 1-4.
Sandfort, W.W. (1954). Evaluation of Chukar partridge in Colorado. Conference Proceeding of the Western Association of State Game and Fish Commissions, 34: 244-250.
Satakopan, S. (1972). Keys to the identification of Plant remain in animal droppings. Journal of Bombay Natural History Society, 60 (1): 139-150.
Sharp, D. (1968). Insects Part I. In Harmer and Shipley (eds.), The Cambridge Natural History. Codicote, England. Wheldon and Wesley, Ltd., Vol. (V): pp.584
Walter, H. and Reese, K.P. (2003). Fall diet of chukars (Alectoris chukar) in eastern oregon and discovery of ingested lead pellets. Western North American Naturalist, 63(3): 402-405.
Warburton, C. (1968). Scorpions, spiders, mites, ticks. In Harmer and Shipley (Eds.), The Cambridge Natural History. Codicote, England. Wheldon and Wesley, Ltd. Vol. (IV).
Westerskov, K. (1966). Winter food and feeding habits of the partridge (Perdix perdix) in the Canadian Prairie. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 44: 303–322.
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How to Cite
Micro-histological analysis of faeces of Chukar partridge Alectoris chukar gray in Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India. (2013). Journal of Applied and Natural Science, 5(2), 447-450. https://doi.org/10.31018/jans.v5i2.351
