Population Response to Habitat Management from an Endangered Galliform: The Pyrenean Grey Partridge Recovery Project in Lago de Sanabria (2000–2023)

Population Response to Habitat Management from an Endangered Galliform: The Pyrenean Grey Partridge Recovery Project in Lago de Sanabria (2000–2023)

The Pyrenean grey partridge (Perdix perdix hispaniensis) is an endangered and insufficiently studied galliform occurring in upland habitats dominated by shrublands in Spain, France, and Andorra. Aiming to develop tailored management to favour the species, we studied the effect of habitat management...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Diversity (Basel) Vol. 16; no. 8; p. 459
Main Authors: Palacios, Jesús, Sánchez-García, Carlos, Santos, Pablo, Rodríguez, Mariano, Gutiérrez, José L, Martínez, Ana, Arranz, José Á, Cubero, David, Salvador, Víctor, Belver, María C, Carreño, José F, Hernández, Hipólito, Rodríguez, María J, Tizado-Núñez, Raúl E, Tizado, E. Jorge
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Basel MDPI AG 01-08-2024
Subjects:
Abundance
Altitude
Autumn
Beaters
Birds
Conservation
Ecological research
Endangered species
Grasslands
habitat management
Habitats
monitoring
Mountains
Perdix perdix hispaniensis
Population studies
Project management
Rain
Recovery
red-legged partridge
Regional development
Shrublands
Subnational government
uplands
weather
Wildlife management
Spain
Europe
Andorra
Cantabrian Mountains
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Summary:The Pyrenean grey partridge (Perdix perdix hispaniensis) is an endangered and insufficiently studied galliform occurring in upland habitats dominated by shrublands in Spain, France, and Andorra. Aiming to develop tailored management to favour the species, we studied the effect of habitat management on a partridge population located in Zamora province within the Galician–Duero mountains as part of a long-term project promoted by the regional government (Junta Castilla y León). Management was based on carrying out conservation and recovery of optimal habitats through clearing shrublands (either plots or linear) distributed in a “core area” of 45 km2, conducting tracks with beaters and pointing dogs during autumn in three areas, and comparing the partridge abundance before (2000–2006) and after (2007–2023) management. Habitat management increased partridge abundance values in two areas (1.46 and 1.68 times higher) and had no effect on the remaining one. The pattern of grey partridge abundance during the study was irregular and not influenced by the weather, and the highest abundance values were reached 8–10 years after habitat measures were implemented for the first time. Habitat management allowed high autumn abundance to be reached (mean kilometre abundance values of 2.94 and 3.74 birds/km in two areas), while the mean number of birds per family group was not affected by management (nine birds/group). When aiming to recover Pyrenean grey partridge populations, habitat management should be based on the conservation and management of shrublands to provide mixed habitats in the medium and long term, ensuring regular partridge monitoring.
ISSN:1424-2818
1424-2818
DOI:10.3390/d16080459