Grey partridge conservation a sucess

Grizzly 45

Todays Sunday Times.
A sucess story and nice to see in our troubled times as hunters&gunowners..Well done all involved.
Pity it has to be printed in a UK Sunday newspaper and not one of our native papers...:(






John Mooney

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div#related-article-links p a, div#related-article-links p a:visited {color:#06c;} The grey partridge, one of Ireland’s most endangered birds, has been saved from extinction thanks to conservation efforts by hunters.
It had become almost extinct by 1999 when just 22 individuals survived on remote bogland in Lough Boora, Co Offaly. Today there are 439 wild partridges breeding on the 600-acre habitat managed by the National Association of Regional Game Councils (NARGC), a hunting organisation.
Des Crofton, a spokesman for the NARGC, which represents shooting enthusiasts, is confident Ireland’s partridge population has been saved. “This project is the jewel in the crown of conservation for Ireland,” he said.
“The species, which is an iconic game bird, all but vanished due to loss of habitat, intensive farming and the use of pesticides, which poisoned their young. Partridges are still critically endangered, but their numbers are growing and their range is expanding.”
The species can survive only in fields and hedgerows which are farmed in an environmentally sensitive way. The ground nesting birds, which are highly territorial and live in small families known as coveys, require cereal fields to raise their young, which can eat only live insects. If pesticides have been sprayed, partridge chicks starve or die once they feed on contaminated grubs.
The use of nitrogen, which causes some grasses and weeds to flourish at the expense of native flowers and plants, has also had an impact on partridges, which rely on wildflower seeds to survive the winter.
Kieran Buckley, a scientist with the Irish Grey Partridge Conservation Trust, said that the population could grow substantially if more habitats were created. “The partridge conservation project worked — we created suitable habitat for the birds and controlled predators such as foxes during the breeding season,” he said.
“The partridges are beginning to expand their range, so it’s imperative that we create new habitats for them. If we do this, their numbers will increase even more and they will spread.”
Joe Molloy, a farmer from Leamore, Co Offaly, who has set aside land for partridges, said farmers in the area had started planting crops to help the species expand. “It’s great to see them back,” he said.

bunny shooter

Piece in this months ISD about this I think. Wonder what slant the antis will put on this

terminator2

Well done Kieran Buckley

Eddie B

Had the privilege to go down and see the set up in boora myself about two years ago. The day was organised by the NARGC and consisted of a conference, discussing game rearing, vermin controle, and concervation! There were a couple of game keepers there answering all questions put forward, and these lads knew what they were talkin about! The second part of the day was down at Boora, We were shown the set up, the pens, the habitat which was created, crops and vermin controle, We met the game keeper which is employed full time, and has special permision to eradicate all vermin, even protected species! There is serious work going on in Boora trying to save our native gray partridge, and these lads deserve medals for what their doing! Its a sight to behold, and hopefully in years to come, we won`t have to go to Boora to see our native partridge!

terminator2

i met kieran Buckley in his house when he had the first batch of greys running around in a pen in his back garden and well done to Joe Molloy the whole country should take a look at what these two men have done alone ,imagine if we all got together what we could achieve

mallards

Has anyone else had any success with raising greys? I'm thinking more of gun clubs, farmers or other individuals. I've released a few hundred in the past few years and while they do survive over the winter I can't confirm that they have raised coveys of their own. This year coming I plan to foster poults to barren pairs and singles in the hope that these poults will have the necessary skills to rear their own the following year. I was wondering if anyone else was at it and what was your success?

Mallards.

Dusty87

Mallards,
I live about half hour drive from Lough Boora. I seen a partridge not far from my house earlier in the year. Never seen one before and an old man down the road seen one too. I cant say what breed it was, it was grey with a browny/pink. I asked a lad in the local gun club and he said they didnt release them. I doubt it travelled from Boora but i dont think it is wild as the old man said he hasnt seen one since he was a boy. Someone must have released them id say.


Off topic but any sign of them turkeys of yours yet??

mallards

I will be purposely hunting them this weekend with just the dog, to give me an idea of how they fly, the dogs reaction to them etc. Then they are fair game the couple of days before Christmas! I'm looking forward to it, bit of stuffing, cranberry sauce etc and I reckon the wild Christmas turkey will be the way forward.
My Grandfather told me that grey partridge round here were common enough 30 odd years ago. They are a first class bird to hunt and you won't get much tastier!

Mallards

terminator2

with only a few hundred in the country you are going shooting them :eek:

Eddie B

terminator2 wrote: »

with only a few hundred in the country you are going shooting them :eek:

The partridge in Boora, and the partridge that gun clubs buy and release are totally different! The birds in Boora are the native irish gray partridge!, a sub species of the birds in Britain and Europe. Thats why the work being done in Boora is so sensitive! The birds Mallards is talking about, were probably bred from British birds originaly, and therefore, are not endangered!!! Also, the birds in Boora are begining to spread, so there might be a few spotted within a couple mile radius of Boora from time to time!!

terminator2

well Eddie i stand corrected i wonder are there many clubs in the country releasing grey patridge in fact the irish grey patridges have been cross bred with birds from the continent if im not mistaken so the irish grey patridges as you call them are not really irish any more and any of the clubs that i know releasing patridges release red legs

Browning

Terminator2, Let's deal in some fact. No whats, ifs or maybes. The earliest record of Grey Partridge in Ireland goes back to fossil evidence found in Newgrange from around 2500 B.C. . The Race of partridge we have in Ireland has its origins in the baltic countries and eastern europe, which is where all grey partridge originated. This genus (type) are called Perdix Perdix Lucida. This is in fact a different race to those in the UK. How is this known ? From DNA profiling carried out on the population in Boora it is possible to tell genetically from where they originated. It is also possible to tell from DNA profiling, what the genetic health is of any population. This is particularly important when a species is on the brink of disappearing from the landscape forever, extinction is alway forever. This DNA healh check showed that without that a genetic bottleneck had been reached and that without action the lack of genetic vigour, inbreeding and disease would within a very short space of time lead the grey partridge as a breeding species to extinction in Ireland. Following intensive DNA study carried out at the University of Upsala(Finland) a population of Wild Grey Partridge in Estonia were indentified as being the closest genetic match to the remaining wild irish population. 22 Birds were trapped in Estonia in conjuction with the Estonian Hunters organisation. These were then brought to Boora and held in quarinteen. These were then selectively used in the captive breeding programme with grey partridge from Boora. Subsequently sone of there youngs were released back into the Boora population. Therefore providing a genetic shot in the arm to the population in Boora. Therefore the facts are that the perdix perdix lucida (Native Grey Partridge) still survives in Boora and the Autumn Count in 2009 was 453. In 2002 the count was 22.

terminator2

Like you said Browning it was the..... closest ...Not EXACT match your words not mine..............By the way i didnt mean to ruffle your feathers:rolleyes:

Browning

No feathers ruffled at all I just wish to answer your question if possible. I used the word closest as you may know that no 2 individuals be they Human, animal, bird or fish are an exact match. Thats what makes us all different in our own unique and special way. So an exact match is impossible and this is why DNA works to be able to identify down to to the individual level.

Feargal as Luimneach

Update from Lough Boora:

908 Grey Partridge present:)

welsummer

why go to so much bother with them at all, as they are not native to the country , but to hungary and the birds them selves are telling you that they are not suitable to this country and its habitat.

Feargal as Luimneach

welsummer wrote: »

why go to so much bother with them at all, as they are not native to the country , but to hungary and the birds them selves are telling you that they are not suitable to this country and its habitat.

Yes they are Maybe your confusing them with red-legged partridge/French partridge which are non-native.

Eddie B

welsummer wrote: »

why go to so much bother with them at all, as they are not native to the country , but to hungary and the birds them selves are telling you that they are not suitable to this country and its habitat.

Em, did you read any of the previous posts???:rolleyes:

Capercaille

Covey of Irish Grey Partridge from Lough Boora today.

ace86

will the greypartridge only survive in good ground where cereal crops are planted? I take it They wont survive in poor boggy/rushy ground all the time ?

Capercaille

ace86 wrote: »

will the greypartridge only survive in good ground where cereal crops are planted? I take it They wont survive in poor boggy/rushy ground all the time ?

Lough Boora is cut-over bog. The transitional habitat of cut-over bog was the last refuge for Grey partridge in Ireland. As the cut-over bog progresses from grassland to scrub it becomes useless for grey partridge. In Boora they plant crops for the Partridge (mostly kale) as a cover crop. Bettle banks(rough tussocky grass strips) provide insect food especially for chicks. There are numerous seed hoppers all over the place for the partridge. Fox/grey crow/magpie are controlled to reduce predation especially of chicks. Full time gamekeeper employed in the area.

blackpearl

it is a waist of time unless some one convinces the farmers to go back to the old way of farming and let the hedges grow back and leave a good headland also with the big rise in buzzards and talk of kites been introduced the outlook is looking bleak for the greys.

borntohunt

I believe the intro of dressed seed along with other modern farming methods had a massive impact on partridge.... cant see farmers or the agri industry moving away from that

Capercaille

blackpearl wrote: »

it is a waist of time unless some one convinces the farmers to go back to the old way of farming and let the hedges grow back and leave a good headland also with the big rise in buzzards and talk of kites been introduced the outlook is looking bleak for the greys.

Good numbers of Buzzards at Lough Boora and yet Grey Partridge numbers are increasing.

OpenYourEyes

Ideally the habitat management as carried out at Boora would be part of an Agri-Environment scheme here, so farmers could get paid to create suitable habitat for them - which would mean there'd be plenty of habitat for Partridges, and farmers wouldn't be out of pocket. Managing a farm (or part thereof) for Grey Partridges would likely have knock-on benefits for loads of other species too.

Buzzards and Kites would be a very small problem - way down the list! If the cover crops are planted properly and there's sufficient shelter at the seed hoppers then the Partridges would have more than enough space to hide and take cover from aerial threats.
Fox control would be necessary though.