Where the study was conducted
As part of the LIFE Perdix project which ended at the end of 2024, a studio, with the participation of Daniel Tramontana and Davide Senserini of the Federcaccia Studies and Research Office, which demonstrates how early exposure to an aerial predator influences the anti-predatory behaviour of partridges raised in captivityIn this work, the treatment was conducted in an aviary on 50-day-old individuals, using a 4-year-old buzzard (Buteo buteo) trained for falconry, performing two flights 5 minutes apart and repeating the process after a week.
Behaviors in comparison
Subsequently, at 150 days of age, an experiment was conducted to compare the behavioral differences between individuals previously exposed to the winged predator and a group of previously unexposed individuals (used as a control). During this phase, the two groups of partridges were exposed to the sight of a silhouette of a raptor flying 1 m above the aviary at approximately 45 km/h. The study confirmed that early exposure of partridges to a live raptor positively alters their behavioral response to predation threat over time. Indeed, the treated individuals reacted more efficiently than the control group, crouching when the silhouette passed and immediately freezing. Furthermore, the perception of immediate danger was stronger in the experimental individuals than in the untreated ones, demonstrating greater vigilance.
Reduced mortality risk
The study results confirm the importance of anti-predator training as a tool for enhancing reintroduction and conservation strategies for small sedentary game, substantially reducing the risk of mortality that would affect individuals not exposed to this type of training (Federcaccia Wildlife and Agro-Environmental Studies and Research Office).
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