Red Partridge Alectoris rufa habitat selection during the breeding season in relation with the landscape traits of an agricultural area in La Mancha (Spain)

Full article

Published:

Volume 49(1), June 2002. Pages 59-66.

Language:

Spanish

Original title:

Selección de hábitat de la Perdiz Roja Alectoris rufa en periodo reproductor en relación con las características del paisaje de un agrosistema de La Mancha (España)

Keywords:

Alectoris rufa, farmlands, habitat selection, habitat structure, wildlife management

Abstract:

Habitat selection of Red Partridges Alectoris rufa during the breeding season in the croplands of the Iberian southern plateau has been characterised by means of line transects carried out along unpaved roads and paths during late March 1999. Habitat selection was measured as the differences between the average values of a number of landscape variables (Table 1) measured on circles of 100 m of radius either centered on individual Partridges or in random points. In addition, Partridge densities in 21 line transects (4.55 km average length; range 2.5-5 km) were regressed againts the average values of that landscape variables measured in such transects (Table 2). Red Partridges rejected fallow lands and selected positively field boundaries with natural vegetation and mediterranean scrub patches interspersed within croplands (Table 1). Partridge densities were related with the abundance of field boundaries and scrub patches (Table 2). The uncultivated elements of the agricultural landscapes of the Iberian southern plateau were then the main predictors for the presence and abundance of Red Partidges, and should be considered for the management of this important game bird.