{"id":4609,"date":"2012-03-10T08:21:52","date_gmt":"2012-03-10T15:21:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=4609"},"modified":"2025-11-29T13:19:50","modified_gmt":"2025-11-29T19:19:50","slug":"chukars-in-habitat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/03\/10\/chukars-in-habitat\/","title":{"rendered":"Chukars in Western Habitat"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lately I have been seeing more Chukars than I have through the winter when the Rough-legged Hawks were in the area in large numbers.<\/p>\n

Rough-legged Hawks primarily eat lemmings on their breeding grounds and voles when they are not but they will also eat rabbits, ground squirrels and birds year round.<\/p>\n

So perhaps with fewer Rough-legged Hawks the Chukars feel safer to forage more out in the open. I thought I would share a few older images along with some taken this past week.<\/p>\n

\"ChukarChukar in sagebrush habitat<\/span><\/p>\n

Chukars are not native to North America, they were introduced as game birds and in some areas they have thrived, one of those locations is Antelope Island State Park in northern Utah.<\/p>\n

Chukars in the western United States can be found in various habitats including wide open grassland prairies, steep slopes up to 8,200 feet in elevation, brushy canyons, hillsides with loose rocks and boulders, and in among low bushes.<\/p>\n

On the island I often spot them in sagebrush. I simply adore the spicy, astringent aroma of sagebrush.<\/p>\n

\"ChukarChukar in grasses – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1\/2500, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Chukars cluck like chickens so there are occasions when I hear them coming before I see them.<\/p>\n

With their pale buffy, tan and grey coloration they can blend in very easily with their habitat, even the black stripes on their flanks can be mistaken for shadows in the grasses.<\/p>\n

\"ChukarChukar wing flap – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1\/1250, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I often call Chukars “Rock Hoppers” because in the spring I see them hopping from the ground on to the tops of rocks and boulders to call.<\/p>\n

Other times the\u00a0Chukars on top of the rocks appear to be sentinel birds, there to warn the other foraging birds of danger from predators.<\/p>\n

Even on the top of rocks and boulders they can be hard to spot, thankfully I have excellent long distance vision which usually serves me, and any one with me, well because frequently\u00a0I see birds long before anyone else.<\/p>\n

\"ChukarChukar on snowy hilltop – Nikon D200, f6.3, 1\/1600, ISO 400, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

These birds do stand out well against snow and blue bird skies, though it is not often that I find them in those conditions. I am very fond of the series of images I took along with the frame above.<\/p>\n

The Chukar looks vibrant against the snow covered rocks, mountain, and the clear blue of the sky.<\/p>\n

\"ChukarChukar on the rocks – Nikon D300, f8, 1\/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The grasses have begun to push green shoots from the ground here and the Chukars are calling more often from the tops of the rocks and I have witnessed a few skirmishes between the males. They will be nesting before too long.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Chukar photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Chukars are not native to North America, they were introduced as game birds and in some areas they have thrived, one of those locations is Antelope Island State Park in northern Utah.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":165048,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[511,27,442,1022,26],"tags":[4004,4146,215,4021,4083,445,4773,4109,683,4334,4233,5005,4470,1346,4057,4328,401,4489,373],"class_list":["post-4609","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-avian","category-chukars","category-davis-county-utah","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-alectoris-chukar","tag-bird-id","tag-bird-photography","tag-birding","tag-chukar","tag-chukars","tag-grasses","tag-habitat-2","tag-hilltop","tag-prairie","tag-rock-hoppers","tag-rocks","tag-rocky-slopes","tag-sagebrush","tag-snowy","tag-upland-game-birds","tag-wing-flap","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/chukar-mia-mcpherson-7833.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-1cl","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2652,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2011\/07\/05\/the-chukars-of-antelope-island-throughout-the-year\/","url_meta":{"origin":4609,"position":0},"title":"Chukars of Antelope Island – Throughout the Year","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 5, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Photographs of the Chukars on Antelope Island State Park, Utah throughout the year.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Chukar calling in Black Mustard on Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/chukar-calling-sunrise-utah-mia-mcpherson-7277.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/chukar-calling-sunrise-utah-mia-mcpherson-7277.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/chukar-calling-sunrise-utah-mia-mcpherson-7277.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/chukar-calling-sunrise-utah-mia-mcpherson-7277.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7181,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/01\/19\/some-fun-with-birds-from-yesterday\/","url_meta":{"origin":4609,"position":1},"title":"Some Fun With Birds From Yesterday","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 19, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"A wonderful fun-filled day with great companionship and plenty of birds. I can't ask for more.","rel":"","context":"In "American Barn Owls"","block_context":{"text":"American Barn Owls","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/owls\/barn-owls\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Chukar running on a snow covered rock on Antelope Island State Park, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-snow-antelope-island-mia-mcpherson-1790.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-snow-antelope-island-mia-mcpherson-1790.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-snow-antelope-island-mia-mcpherson-1790.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-snow-antelope-island-mia-mcpherson-1790.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":109677,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/01\/18\/immature-black-crowned-night-heron\/","url_meta":{"origin":4609,"position":2},"title":"Immature Black-crowned Night Heron – Where Are The Birds?","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 18, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"While going through my archives I found this photo of a fishing immature Black-crowned Night Heron taken 10 years ago today at Farmington Bay WMA.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature Black-crowned Night Heron fishing, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/black-crowned-night-heron-young-fishing-mia-mcpherson-2077.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/black-crowned-night-heron-young-fishing-mia-mcpherson-2077.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/black-crowned-night-heron-young-fishing-mia-mcpherson-2077.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/black-crowned-night-heron-young-fishing-mia-mcpherson-2077.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":18452,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/01\/05\/missing-antelope-islands-chukars\/","url_meta":{"origin":4609,"position":3},"title":"Missing Antelope Island’s Chukars","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 5, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Except for one fleeting glance of a Chukar at the end of November I have not seen Chukars on Antelope Island for several months.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Chukar in falling snow on a January morning, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-snow-winter-mia-mcpherson-1777.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-snow-winter-mia-mcpherson-1777.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-snow-winter-mia-mcpherson-1777.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-snow-winter-mia-mcpherson-1777.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":37526,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/03\/29\/antelope-island-chukars-from-chicks-to-adults\/","url_meta":{"origin":4609,"position":4},"title":"Antelope Island Chukars – From Chicks to Adults","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 29, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Antelope Island Chukars don't just attract out of town visitors to the island, they still call in locals like myself to see, hear and photograph them.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Chukar calling from a hilltop on Antelope Island State Park, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-calling-mia-mcpherson-7952.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-calling-mia-mcpherson-7952.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-calling-mia-mcpherson-7952.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-calling-mia-mcpherson-7952.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":50406,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/12\/30\/calling-chukar-in-snow-on-antelope-island\/","url_meta":{"origin":4609,"position":5},"title":"Calling Chukar in Snow on Antelope Island","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 30, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"I always feel fortunate when I am able to photograph Chukars in the snow on the island because it helps to make them more visible than they are during other seasons of the year","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Chukar calling on snow-covered Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-calling-snow-mia-mcpherson-6631.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-calling-snow-mia-mcpherson-6631.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-calling-snow-mia-mcpherson-6631.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chukar-calling-snow-mia-mcpherson-6631.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4609","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4609"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4609\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/165048"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4609"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4609"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4609"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}