title: Are parent-reared red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) better candidates for re-establishment purposes?
abstract: Aiming to produce game birds suitable for re-establishment purposes, we studied the survival and behavior of 31 adult red-legged partridges reared by their natural parents in captivity (parent-reared) and 67 wild red-legs (35 adults and 32 subadults). Birds were radio-tracked and released in a game estate where management targeting small game species was conducted and shooting was not allowed. Survival of parent-reared partridges was shorter (mean 108 d) than wild adults (mean 160 d), though no significant differences were found. Parent-reared birds showed a longer escape reaction (mean 11.7 sec) than wild adults (mean 0.4 sec) and were mainly predated by terrestrial predators (52%), whereas the most important source of predation in wild red-legs was raptors (49%). The home range of parent-reared (mean 23 ha) was not significantly lower than wild adults (mean 27 ha). Nineteen percent of parent-reared and 31.4% of wild adults paired successfully, and we recorded 6 pairs in which one bird was wild and the other parent-reared and one pair in which both birds were parent-reared. A small proportion of red-legs started incubation (parent-reared 12.9%, wild 20%), and the proportion completing incubation was similar among wild and parent-reared birds. Overall, parent-reared red-legs showed similar survival and behavior compared to wild red-legs and better than intensively reared, so parent-reared red-legs should be chosen for the re-establishment of wild populations.
authors.affiliation: Research Group on Game Species Breeding and Management, Department of Animal Rearing, School of Veterinary Science, Vegazana Campus, 24071 León, Spain Global Sigma S.L., Onzonilla 24231, León, Spain.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.affiliation: Research Group on Game Species Breeding and Management, Department of Animal Rearing, School of Veterinary Science, Vegazana Campus, 24071 León, Spain Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, Burgate Manor, Fordingbridge, Hampshire SP6 1EF, United Kingdom csang@unileon.es.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sánchez-García
authors.affiliation: Research Group on Game Species Breeding and Management, Department of Animal Rearing, School of Veterinary Science, Vegazana Campus, 24071 León, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Díez
authors.affiliation: Research Group on Game Species Breeding and Management, Department of Animal Rearing, School of Veterinary Science, Vegazana Campus, 24071 León, Spain.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Bartolomé
authors.affiliation: Research Group on Game Species Breeding and Management, Department of Animal Rearing, School of Veterinary Science, Vegazana Campus, 24071 León, Spain.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.affiliation: Research Group on Game Species Breeding and Management, Department of Animal Rearing, School of Veterinary Science, Vegazana Campus, 24071 León, Spain.
authors.forename: V R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Gaudioso
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D046094:Galliformes / Q000502:physiology*; D008136:Longevity; D008297:Male; D012098:Reproduction
keywords: Alectoris rufa; parent rearing; red-legged partridge; survival; welfare