The chukar is an upland game bird that belongs to the pheasant family
This photo was taken while Jill and I were walking around the top of Haleakala after having watched the sunrise on her birthday. We were in Hawaii for our honeymoon, staying on Maui. We woke up dark and early that day, about 3am, so that we could make the two-hour drive to the 10,000 foot plus summit of Haleakala. We made it in time to take in the breathtaking sight that is a sunrise on top of a volcano on a tropical island! As we were exploring the sites post-sunrise, we came across this bird running about the mountaintop. This bird is known as a chukar.
The chukar is an upland game bird that belongs to the pheasant family, Phasianidae. It is commonly known as the chukar partridge, and its scientific name is Alectoris chukar. It was introduced to Hawaii from Asia. Its native range includes: Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Kurdistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, India, and Nepal. It has a slight presence on the Sinai Peninsula. The chukar is commonly found in rocky open hillsides that have grasses or scattered scrubs. It can be found at all altitudes, but it is typically found from 6,600 feet to 13,100 feet. They are only found in dry, low-humidity locations.
If you are trying to distinguish this bird from the rock partridge, Philby’s partridge, and Przevalski’s partridge, there are a few characteristics to look out for. The chukar has distinctive black and white bars on its sides and a black band that goes from its forehead across the eyes down the back of the head and under its throat to form a necklace. The throat is white, and the rest of the body is a light brown mixed with grey. It has a coral-colored bill, and pinkish legs.
There are 20,000 species of bees in the world (that we know about). It is challenging to estimate global bee populations, but I read there are at least two trillion bees worldwide. They are responsible for pollinating 80% of flowering plants. In the United States alone, honey bees pollinate $15 billion in food each year. There is an entire industry built around the bees. The bad news is that the bees are in decline due to pesticide use, habitat loss, bee diseases, and parasites. One of these devastating parasites are varroa mites, which are parasites that specifically target honey bees and transmit diseases throughout colonies.
There are 20,000 species of bees in the world (that we know about). It is challenging to estimate global bee populations, but I read there are at least two trillion bees worldwide. They are responsible for pollinating 80% of flowering plants. In the United States alone, honey bees pollinate $15 billion in food each year. There is an entire industry built around the bees. The bad news is that the bees are in decline due to pesticide use, habitat loss, bee diseases, and parasites. One of these devastating parasites are varroa mites, which are parasites that specifically target honey bees and transmit diseases throughout colonies.
Their call, which they commonly perform in the mornings and evenings, sounds like chuck or chuker
Did you know?
- Scientists are researching whether Spanish needles might be useful in fighting colon cancer.
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