Fall and Winter Mortality among Hungarian Partridges in Bottineau and McHenry Counties, North Dakota

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In connection with fall and winter studies of the resident game species on the Lower Souris National Wildlife Refuge, North Dakota, covey counts of Hungarian partridges were made in 1938-39 and 1940-41 for the purpose of estimating mortality and determining the adaptability of this species to winter conditions in the agricultural districts of McHenry and Bottineau counties in north central North Dakota, within which the refuge is situated. Counts were not restricted to the refuge but were made throughout the two counties. The major part of this region is devoted to grain farming, but there is a considerable acreage of native grass and waste land. Corn growing has received increasing attention in recent years, since failure of wheat crops, the prevalence of lower prices, and the development of livestock production have prompted some of the farmers to diversify their crops. Graded and graveled roads are important locally to the welfare of Hungarian partridges. They provide the only supply of grit ordinarily available during the winter months, and probably much of that obtained at other seasons. When the snow is deep the windswept roads are apparently utilized also as feeding areas. Covey counts along roads satisfactorily sampled the population, there being a decided tendency for the partridges to include a graveled, or at least a graded, road within their winter range, especially during periods of moderately deep snow. Although counts were made in all partridge habitats, the majority were made on or near roads. Covey counts were not taken during the winter of 1939-40. There was very little snow (3 to 6 inches) until the latter part of February and partridges were not nearly so dependent upon graveled roads as they were in 1938-39 and 1940-41. Of 85 partridge deaths or injuries noted during the period from August, 1938 to March 11, 1941,1 68 were attributable to automobiles, 10 were the result of injuries caused by collision with telephone, power, or fence wires, and 6 the result of collision with either automobiles or wires. In this period one bird was killed by a prairie falcon. During the winter of 1937-38 a snowy owl was flushed from a freshly-killed partidge. Golden eagles and snowy owls were the most common winged predators on areas frequented by partridges. One or two golden eagles hunted regularly over grain fields near refuge headquarters each winter. Probably not more than four snowy owls wintered on the refuge during any one year, and but few were seen elsewhere in the two counties. These birds, and also mammalian predators, probably contributed to winter losses of the partridges. The weight and general appearance of partridges found dead along highways compared favorably with those of birds trapped for banding at feeding stations. Even during periods of deep snows and I Hunting season mortality excepted.