Gender and age structure as well as body weight of partridge (Perdix perdix L.) during periods of high and low population density in the Lublin Upland

Abstract

Gender and age structure as well as body weight of partridge (Perdix perdix L.) during periods of high and low population density in the Lublin Upland. Studies upon structure of gender and age as well as body weight of partridges were carried out in the Lublin Upland in 1988 and 2015, different in relation to the levels of these animals population density. These features were evaluated in 104 individuals culled in early October. Nearly four-fold decrease in the population density of this species was recorded between the compared periods. Over 80-fold decrease in the hunting acquisition of partridge occurred the same period. A decrease in the share of females in the population after the breeding period was also found, which probably resulted from an increase in this gender mortality during the breeding season. Proportions of the number of juveniles to adult animals (2.4 and 1.7), and to adult males (4.0 and 1.7) in two subsequent study years, i.e. indicators of the young partridges production, did not differ significantly, but it could be mainly due to a small sample in the latter year. The gender structure of juvenile partridges was 0.94 male per female in 1988 and 0.71 male per female in 2015, which did not significantly differ between periods (χ2 = 0.178). Among adult individuals, 1.5 male per female were recorded in 1988, while only males were reported in 2015. Body weight of young partridges decreased between the years of research by 22.5 g, i.e. 6%, while adult animals by 12.5 g, which indicates the decrease in bird size, and thus the individual condition, presumably due to limited food resources. Differences in body weight between periods were statistically significant only at young animals. Such situation can cause enhanced mortality of young partridges in autumn and winter, therefore worsen the existing regress in this species population. The results confirmed that the previous assessment of the causes of the decline in partridges population in Poland, showing an increase in losses during the breeding season, as the main demographic mechanism, were valid also for the second decade of the 21st century. It follows that improving the environmental conditions during the breeding season, besides reducing the number of predators, should be an essential part of the partridge active protec-