Some wild species, even if counted among those that can be hunted, are considered at risk since their populations on the Italian territory are in decline due to causes depending on various and complex factors.
To try to find a solution to the problem and restore the declining wild animal populations in a given territory, man carries out so-called restocking operations. Nowadays the species that are the main protagonists of repopulation interventions are the Pheasants, the Hares and the Gray Partridges; the specimens of these species are generally captured in portions of the territory where they are considered in excess to be then released in those areas where these species are in decline. Often, however, the repopulation intervention requires a greater number of individuals than can be captured, therefore we resort to specimens bred in captivity. Here we will examine the aspects of wildlife breeding and all that is needed to reproduce specimens in captivity; in particular we will talk about the breeding of the Gray Partridge, one of the species that has suffered most of its populations present on the territory and much appreciated by the hunting world.
La Gray Partridge (Perdix Perdix) it is a Galliforme bird, belonging to the Phasianidae family, of medium size, whose measures reach a maximum of 31 cm; the livery of the Gray Partridge is generally gray tending to brown on the upper parts, with a faint blackish streak in the part of the tail and light longitudinal streaks on the brown wings. Broad brown streaks furrow the flanks of the partridge and on the chest there is an unmistakable rust red spot. Causes of the heavy reduction of the Gray Partridge population in Italy are to be found in the drastic environmental changes and in the other factors that have resulted in the disappearance of the habitats suitable for nesting this species, thus relegating the few specimens left in the hilly areas where there are agricultural practices compatible with the presence of the species. To all this is added the high hunting pressure which has certainly contributed to the decline of the Italian Gray Partridge population.
So let's see what are the methods to breed Gray Partridges in captivity, quite rustic animals but particularly delicate in the reproduction phase; one can start with already adult reproducers or with a series of eggs which, once hatched, will provide the first nucleus of birds from which the reproducers will be chosen. If adult breeding animals are used, the necessary specimens can be purchased from other farms or captured in the designated areas but this second hypothesis is strongly discouraged as adult animals grown in the wild would not adapt well to life in captivity, compromising the reproductive activity. To start breeding it is first of all necessary to set up a breeding park; It is very important to know in time how many animals you intend to produce during the year in order to correctly size the system. The choice of the area where to locate the Starne breeding must be taken into consideration in order to ensure the tranquility required so that it is as similar as possible to the natural situation and therefore far from noise and disturbances of any kind; furthermore, the area must be suitably fenced in order to prevent any predator from approaching the aviaries.
The next step is the preparation of the playgrounds for the reproducers that will have to accommodate the single couples; we leave out those "on the ground", no longer used, now replaced by those "on the net" which are more functional as they are able to perform both the functions of a playground for breeding animals and an engagement aviary; the park on the net also allows to keep males and females separated until the mating period, and a quick and easy administration of the couples including the collection of the eggs. The parquet on the net is nothing more than a caisson (1,50 × 1,50 m and 0,50 m high) with three wooden walls and one, the front one, in a large mesh net to prevent the Gray Partridges from being injured putting your head in; the caisson will be equipped with feeders and drinkers as well as a dividing axis which, if necessary, can divide the park into separate equal parts. The couple, formed in the months of September-October, is placed in the park and kept separate by the special dividing axis equipped with a slit through which male and female can continue to see each other and fall in love with each other. With the approach of the mating season, the feeding of the reproducers with a special feed will be taken care of, differentiating the times of administration between male and female since the first enters in love more quickly. The actual meeting of the couple will have to take place in the first half of April by removing the dividing board, possibly repositioning it, however, in case of scuffles by repeating the operation after a few days. It is very important, during the reproductive period, to give the Gray Partridges, always and every day, considerable quantities of fresh grass such as grasses, alfalfa, clover, rapeseed, etc. .. The laying of the eggs generally begins between the last decade of April and early May, depending on the weather conditions, continuing until the end of June in almost weekly cycles with an average production of 40/50 eggs, with peaks of 70.
Another traditional system for the breeding and reproduction of Gray Partridges is the battery system; these are metal cages made in series, raised from the ground, with the floor leaning outwards to allow the laid eggs to roll in the special "gutter" to facilitate collection. The cages are set up more or less in the same way as the parquets already described, albeit smaller, and equipped with a sheltered nest. The breeding groups are formed in February while the reproduction begins between the end of March and the beginning of April and continues until July; the eggs, collected daily, are stored with the tip facing down for a maximum of seven days and then incubated in an "artificial" way; once the chicks are born, they will be housed in special heated structures (artificial mothers), and after about 3-4 weeks they will be transferred to special outdoor aviaries generally in groups of a few hundred head. However, there are many problems, often difficult to solve, for those who decide to devote themselves to the breeding of Gray Partridges and concern mating, the hygienic-sanitary aspect, feeding and predation.
The "artificial" breeding is extremely negative precisely because the young specimens are raised in conditions of overcrowding, often forced into small spaces, resulting in the failure to acquire the necessary rusticity and resistance to competition as well as exposing them to the risk of dangerous epidemics forcing the breeder the continuous administration of drugs to control them. The social behavior of the species is also affected as the specimens, forced to live in large groups and in small spaces, are unable to establish the bonds and hierarchies characteristic of the group that allow, if necessary, to escape from predators, to choose suitable places. for resting and brooding, looking for nourishment, etc. For these reasons the repopulations carried out with specimens from "artificial" farms do not guarantee good success as once placed in nature, they very often show behavioral disturbances that lead them to not seeking, for example, adequate shelters in case of danger, not being able to obtain food in sufficient quantity and even not being able to reproduce, as they are unable to nest or provide the necessary parental care to the offspring. For this purpose it is often preferred to set up so-called Perdix Units on the basis of 29 young subjects, generally 90 days old, plus an adult male to serve as a reference point. Also very important, in the phase of introduction in nature, is the affection to the chosen place; this phase can only take place in an aviary, where the subjects can learn to know each other and to depend on each other. If the first phase is successful for the brigade that will have been created, it will be easier to become familiar with the reintroduction environment.
A breeding method that compensates for these problems is the so-called "semi-natural" one: the gray partridge eggs are entrusted to a hen, an adoptive mother, who will provide the chicks with the necessary behavioral patterns (imprinting), especially with regard to parental care. . The breeding is also carried out directly in the areas where the bred specimens will be subsequently released, thus limiting the problems of adaptation and insertion. The specimens bred in this way will be of higher quality and suitable to constitute a new nucleus of reproducers in the area that is intended to be repopulated. Other problems concern the reproduction of Partridges that have become adults, even if reared in semi-freedom, being related to the genetic heritage of the reproducers, which have little or nothing in common with the Partridges that once populated our territories due to continuous crossings, both direct and indirect relatives, aimed at the selection of specimens with certain morphological-commercial characteristics (size, weight, plumage, etc.), however far from the typicality of the wild partridge. The ideal for the breeding of wildlife, in this case of the Gray Partridge, must obtain a good yield in qualitative and quantitative terms with sustainable production costs and at the same time make it productive the inclusion in the wild of subjects born in captivity according to a compromise which takes into account the fact that these are wild animals destined to lead an autonomous life from the moment of their release into nature. In this perspective, in order for the production and breeding of Gray Partridges to give results at least higher than those obtained with today's breeding standards, it would be appropriate to make some changes to the techniques according to some essential points: a correct feeding of the chicks according to their needs. nutritional; a progressively increasing administration of fibers from the first 30 to 100 days of life; the use of aviaries with suitable plant cover with the plant species preferred by the species and adapted to the nature of the territory; the adequate modification of the diet for the growing specimens with a progressive replacement of the feed in favor of ears, grains, cobs or seeds of appetizing plant species, scattered over large areas of land in order to encourage research and selection.