Sharptailed Grouse 



There are two races of sharptailed grouse in Ontario. The prairie sharptail is 

 most commonly found in Kenora and Fort Frances Districts, and the northern 

 sharptail is found chiefly in association with the boreal forest. The prairie sharptails 

 are of particular interest because there are areas in southern Ontario, south of the 

 French and Mattawa Rivers where it may be possible to establish these birds due 

 to changing farm practices. For this reason a five year programme was set up to 

 trap and transport live birds from the Fort Frances District to areas in southern 

 and southwestern Ontario which were believed to be suitable for this species. A 

 working arrangement was set up between Fort Frances and the Lindsay District 

 for the initial plan and on March 18, 1963, forty birds were released. The sex 

 ratio was 16 hens to 24 cocks. During the spring of 1964, several of these birds 

 were observed by personnel engaged in the development of the Balsam Lake Park. 

 In addition, Mr. S. D. Wires, on whose farm these birds were released, reported 

 sighting and hearing the birds on several occasions. These early observations 

 indicate that the initial planting of sharptails in Bexley Township has been success- 

 ful and an additional planting is planned for the winter of 1964. In keeping with 

 our five year programme further plantings may also be warranted. 



The northern sharptail grouse have also been under observation by the staff 

 of the Geraldton District and a trapping and banding programme was initiated this 

 year at Kawkash which is approximately thirty miles north of Geraldton. In this 

 area it is estimated that there is a population of 100 birds, and by January migrants 

 increased this flock to approximately 500. In 1963, the initial banding attempts 

 were unsuccessful because the birds were inaccessible due to the early break up of 

 the roads. This programme will be continued next year. 



Hungarian Partridge 



The Hungarian partridge were scarce in the Kemptville District during 1963. 

 A total of 48 coveys consisting of 396 birds were located during January and 

 February, but some unknown factor reduced the population during the spring 

 hatch. Weather conditions during nesting were not favourable in 1963. The 

 snowfall on May 1st and May 11th may have caused the adult birds to leave their 

 nests. This may have been the cause of the renesting indicated by the peak of 

 hatching dates during the first week of July. 



During June five covevs were located ranging from 5 to 19 birds for a total 

 of 57 birds with an average of 11.4 birds per covey. In August four coveys were 

 located and these averaged 13.0 birds. 



The following table gives the ratios of the birds checked from 1961 to 1963. 



Juv./ Juv./ % Adults % Juveniles 



Year Total Birds Adult Adult 9 55 95 55 52 



Although adequate breeding stock was present in the spring of 1963 in 

 Kemptville, the expected reproduction did not occur and hunter success was the 

 lowest in several years. The reason for this decline is not clear, but it may be that 

 this species undergoes cyclic fluctuations. 



Hungarian partridge population in the Tweed District was considered to be 

 very low this year, and on Wolf Island the population decreased from approxi- 



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