DISTRIBUTION OF AMERICAN GALLINACEOUS GAME BIRDS CIRCULAR 34 FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR The data contained in this circular, on the geographical and ecological distri- bution of each species of American gallinaceous gome bird, the formation of each species by geographical races, and the habitat requirements of these species, is presented in this form for use by State game technicians working on Federal aid pro- grams to determine the distribution of the species in each State,- by State game man- agers planning introductions or restocking with preodapted stock; and by hunters and bird watchers to locate the birds by areas and types of cover. DISTRIBUTION OF AMERICAN GALLINACEOUS GAME BIRDS by John W. Aldrich and Alien J. Duval! Section oj Distribution of Birds and Mammals of the Branch of Wildlife Research Maps by Bess MacMaugh Illustrations by Bob Hines CIRCULAR 34 FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, John L. Farley, Director UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Douglas McKay, Secretary UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE • WASHINGTON : 1955 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Qovemment Printing Office Washington 25, D. C. - Price 30 cents CONTENTS Page Chachalaca 3, 30 Blue grouse 4, 24 Spruce grouse 5, 25 Ruffed grouse 6, 7, 25 Prairie chicken 8, 9, 26 Sharp-tailed grouse 10, 11. 26 Sage grouse 12, 26 White-tailed ptarmigan 13, 24 Gray or Hungarian partridge 14, 27 Rock partridge or chukar 15, 27 Mountain quail 15, 29 Gambel's quail 16, 29 California quail 16, 28 Scaled quail 17, 28 Bobwhite 18, 19, 28 Harlequin quail 20,29 Ring-necked pheasant 21, 27 Turkey 22,23,30 Native gallinaceous or chicken-like birds, the so-called "upland game birds," were originally dis- tributed throughout North America so that one or more species occupied almost every type of natural environment on the continent. A few new types of environment or habitat created more recently by man have also been occupied by additional species brought over from the Old World. There are very few habitat types known for North America that do not support, at least in part, some species of gal- linaceous game bird; althougli there may be certain areas of suitable habitats that these species have failed to reach or where they have been extirpated. UNOCCUPIED HABITATS It is simpler to list those liabitats in which no species of gallinaceous game bird is found regularly than to list those in whicii one or more species do occur. Some unoccupied habitats are extremely inhospitable from the standpoint of available water. Others are isolated pockets or islands of a type (like the alpine meadow of California and Oregon) that is occupied by a gallinaceous species in other regions. The following habitats are unoccupied by any species of gallinaceous game bird, at least in certain areas; 1. Grassland belt below oak savannah at west base of the Sierra Nevada in California. (A few California quail occur there in brushy canyons.) 2. Alpine meadows of the Sierra Nevada in California and southern Cascades in Oregon. 3. Pinon-juniper woodland in low southwestern desert ranges (where not in contact with higher mountain forests) . 4. Short^grass plains in Arizona. 5. Cold desert scrub (greasewood-shadscale) salt flats in western Nevada (except where rock partridges enter occasionally from higher sagebrush areas). li. Creosotebush-bur sage in hot dry southwestern desert where not associated with other plant types. RACES Just as man produces varieties of poultry, so nature produces varieties of wild species — by selec- tive breeding. Wild varieties are called races or subspecies. Tlieir selective breeding is effected by the impartial hand of their environment. Only the individuals that are adapted to the particular set of environmental factors surrounding them are able to survive and breed more of their kind. Thus a race of an upland game bird species that is successful in maintaining itself in one part of the country under one set of environmental factors may not survive if moved to another region of somewhat different environment, even if another race of the same species has been able to succeed there. This principle has frequently been over- looked in efforts to transplant game birds from one region to another in restocking programs, and many failures of introductions have resulted be- cause of this. Usually an individual species of upland game bird is restricted in its distribution to tlie geo- graphical region providing its favored envu'on- mental type or habitat, such as deciduous forest, coniferous forest, grassland, or desert scrub. The races of these species may be even more restricted in their distribution by relatively minor climatic differences. Tiiese climatic differences are usually indicated by differences in the dominant vegeta- tion. Consequently, geographic races or sub- species, besides appearing slightly different from one another, tend to be limited to definite ecologi- cally defined subdivisions of the species range. Tliis may be noted by comparing the following maps with standard maps of natural vegetation. In some cases gaps in occupied habitat produced by such physical barriers as large expanses of water or high mountain ranges will separate two sub- species. Whatever the barrier, whether physio- graphical or ecological, it must be effective in preventing extensive interbreeding between neigh- boring races. Free interbreeding would tend to mix the racial characters, with eventual oblitera- tion of racial distinction. Such blending often does occur in zones between the ranges of two races, resulting in "intergradation"; individuals of this intergrading population are sometimes so com- 1 pletely intcrmcdiato that they cannot ho ideiitifiofl as hcloiitriiic: to either of the component races. THE PLAN The distribution of eacii species of galHnaccous game bird that has an estabhshed range either wholly or partly within the United States is shown on a separate ma[). This shows the all-time range of the species as determined from all records avail- able to us. The distribution of races is indicated by different patterns on the map. For species that presently have much different limits to their distribution than they formerly had, separate maps are included to show present range as compared with that at some time in the past. A description of the habitat occupied by each species is included to help in understanding the limitations of distribution. ' METHODS The distribution maps are based in large degree upon the authors' studies of geographic variation within each species. Tliese studies consisted in comparing large series of specimens in the National collections in Washington. These series of speci- mens were supplemented by l)orrowing critical material from museums tiu-oughout the United States and Canada. Tliere is difl'erence of opinion about the distinctness of certaui races, but the differentiations lierein presented seemed to us to show geograpiiic variations in the most logical waj', especially when compared with environ- mental or ecological clifferences in ranges. Cui'- rent methods of indicating geographic variation within species by trinomial "scientific names" are crude at best, but it is the only conmionly acceptetl method. The races separated on the maps are identified by legends giving the tiiird or subspecific terms of the trinomials. The localiti(>s of all specimens identified by us are shown by solid dots on tlie maps. Open circles denote occurrences reported in the literature and in correspondence. No effort was made to include all occurrence records, i)ut only those tliat helped to fill gaps in ranges from which we liad not per- sonally seen specinuMis. Preliminary maps showing the distiibutioii of these species, as far as we were able to work thcni out, were sent to the game departments of all States and Canadian Provinces, as well as to indi- viduals tliought to have special knowledge of dis- triliution in the less well dclined areas. 'I'hese persons were also requested to supply information on habitats occupied. The cooperation received from these sources was good and helped greatlj- to draw the distribution limits more accuratelv. This was particularly important with respect to present distribution and local liabitats occupied. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The followiTig supplied valuable advice on preparation of maps and liabitat descriptions: O. A. Ammann, Michigan Department of Conservation; John M. Allen, Indiana Department of Conservation; Lester Hagley, Wyoming Game and Fish Commission; Thomas S. Basketl. Missouri Cooperative Wildlife Re- search Unit; U. A. Benson. Nova Scotia Department of Lands and Forests; William R. Bergeson, Montana Game and Fish Commission; Pierce Brod- korb, University of Florida; John L. Buckley, .\laska Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit; Ralph G. Carpenter, 2d, New Hampshire Fish and Game Department; Floyd B. Chapman. Ohio Department of Natural Resources; John Chattin. Fish and Wildlife Service; D. M. Christisen. Missouri Con- servation Commission; Jim Coats, Kansas Forestry, Fish, and Game Com- mission; P. M. Cosper, Arizona Game and Fish Commission; H. T. J. Cramer Wisconsin Conservation Department; T. Stuart Critcher. North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission; Paul D. Dalke, Idaho Cooperative Wildlife Research l^nit; Geo. W. Davis, \'ermont Fish and Game Commission; L. Irby Davis, Harlingen, Tex.; E. W. Dahlgren, Oklahoma rjame and Fish Department; Eugene H. Dustman, Ohio Cooperative Wildlife Research l^nit; Arnold B. Erickson, Minnesota Department of Conservation; 0. E. Frye, Jr., Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission; Larry R. Gale, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources; D. R. Gasco>"ne, Fish and Wildlife Service; John C. Gatlin, Fish and Wildlife .Service; William E. Oinn, Indiana Department of Conservation; W. Earl Godfrey. National Museum of Canada; Clifton M. Greenhalgh, Utah Fish and Game Com- mission; Gordon W. Gullion, Nevada Fish and Game Commission; W. J. K. Harkness, Ontario Department of Lands and Forests; T. A. Harper, .Sas- katchewan Department of Natural Resources; R. D. Harris, Canadian Wild- life Service; J. Hatter, British Columbia Game Commission; Arnold O. Haugen. .\labama Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit; C. O. Hi.xon, Ala- bama Department of Conservation; T. H. Holder. Arkan.sas Game and Fish Commission; Carl Hunter, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission; Neil Hotchkiss, Fish and Wildlife Service; Albert E. Hyder, Tennessee Game and Fish Commission; J. H. Jenkins, University of Georgia; William S. Jennings, Texas Game and Fish Commission; Ferd C. Kleinschnitz, Colorado Game and Fish Commission; Roger M. Latham, Penmsylvania Game Commission; J. Burton Lauekhart, Washington Department of Game; Levon Lee. New Mexico Department of Game and Fish; A. Starker Leopold. University of California; Jessop B. Low, Utah Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit; Alex- ander C. Martin, Fish and Wildlife Service; W. V. Masson. Oregon Game Commission Donald D. McLean. California Departmi^nt of Fish and Game; Howard L. Mendall, Maine Cooperative Wildlife Research I'nit; Wilford L. Miller, North Dakota Game and Fish Department; Paul Moore, Ohio Department of Natural Resources; Henry S. Mosby, Virginia Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit; Russell E. Mumford, Indiana Department of Con- servation; David Munro, Canadian Wildlife Service; .\rnold Nelson, Fish and Wildlife Service; Frank P. Nelson, South Carolina Wildlife Resources Department; Johnson Nefl, Fish and Wildlife Service; Alex J. Reeve, Mani- toba Department of Mines and Natural Resources; Chandler S. Bobbins. Fish and Wildlife Service; W. R. Salt, University of Alberta; Robert L. Salter, Idaho Department of Fish and Game; J. Henry Sather, Nebraska Game, Forestation, ami Parks Commission; William O. Sheldon. Massa- chusetts Cooi)erative Wildlife Research Unit; Eldon H. Smith, South Dakota Department of Game, Fi.sh, and Parks; Ralph H. Smith. New York Con- servation Department; L. L. .Snyder. Royal Ontario .Museum; Lyle K. Sowls, Arizona Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit; E. B. Speaker, Iowa Conservation Commission- Paul Springer, Fi.sh and Wildlife Service; A. M. Stebler, Oklahoma Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit; W. E. Stevens, Northwest Territories Northern Administralion and Lands Branch; Robert E Stewart, Fish and Wildlife Service; Harold V, Terrill, Missouri Conserva- lion Commission; DonaM R, Thompson, Wisconsin Conservation Depart- ment; Ernest A. Vaughn. .Maryland Department of Game and Inland Fish; Oscar Warbach. Michigan Department of Conservation; Angus M. Wood- bury University of Utah; Lee E. Yeager. Colorado Cooperative Wildlife Keseareh Unit an.l R. E. Veatter, Illinois Natural History Survey Division. CHACHALACA Ortalis vetula PAST AND PRESENT DISTRIBUTION Range. — Chiefly tropical region of eastern Mexico and northern Central America, extending into Rio Grande Valley of extreme southern Texas. Established after introduction on a coastal island in Georgia. Habitat. — Thickets in the natural brushlands of the arid sections, particularly in the densest thickets along streams ; also brushy areas appear- ing after clearing of forest in more humid areas. BLUE GROUSE DenJragapus obscurus PAST AND PRESENT DISTRIBUTION LEGEND T| Dusky (obscurus) ^^ Richardson's (nchordsonu) SwOrth'S ( pallidus \ Oregon (f uiiginosus) ] Sitka (sitkensis) Sierra (si er r ae) Mount PinOS (howordi) Great Basin ( oreinus) Range. — Mountains and liiimid coastal areas of western United States and Canada. Hahifaf. — Mountain and iiuniid coastal conifer- ous-forest ed^es and aspen f^roves. Fictiuently migrates in winter to areas of denser coniferous growtli at lii^lier altitudes. SPRUCE GROUSE Canachites canadensis PAST AND PRESENT DISTRIBUTION Range. — Most of Canada and Alaska, south of the tree line and extending southward in Boreal Forest areas of eastern and western I'nited States. Habitat. — Boreal or subalpine coniferous forest, particularly of wet, boggy type forested with spruce and larch and thick ground cover of mosses. *NoTE.— Franklin's grouse has usually been considered a distinct species, but our specimens show overlap of characters at the junction of its range with that of the spruce grouse. It therefore appears that Franklin's grouse is merely a race of the spruce grouse. RUFFED GROUSE Bonasa umbellus PAST AND PRESENT DISTRIBUTION Range. — Most of northorn North America, south of tree line and farther soutii in eastern deciduous forest areas and the mountains of western United States. Habitat. — Deciduous and mixed deciduous-conif- erous forest margins and second growth, or deciduous-growtii habitats associated with northern coniferous forests; also in restricted, liglitly wooded margins of streams and coulees, sometimes widely separated by open grassland on the northern (Ireat Plains. ■4^,,.^^-v. RUFFED GROUSE Bonasa umbellus PRESENT DISTRIBUTION •f4 347621 0—55 2 PRAIRIE CHICKEN Tympanuchus cupido PAST AND PRESENT DISTRIBUTION Eastern or Heath Hen(cupido) extinct ?^>y^ Greater (^mnotus) At t water's ( att woten ) Lesser (poi iiOicmctus) ^ Range. — Open parts of the central and eastern Tnited States and southern Canada. Formerly I)r('S('iit, now extirpated on northern Atlantic sea- hoai'd. Much restricted in other parts of its former range. Northern populations at least pailially niitrratory. "Note.— The lesser prairie chicken has usually been considered :i distinct species, but we find no characters that dilTer from those of the other prairie chickens, except in degree; thus, only a racial ditTerence is indicated. PRAIRIE CHICKEN Tympanuchus cupiJo PRESENT DISTRIBUTION LEGEND hed distribution (past ond present) ^ distn bution Habitat. — Natural grasslands, particularly of the savannah type with mixed grassland and groves of trees or brushy growth. The extinct eastern race (heath hen) lived in semiopen mixed scrub oak and low bushy heath of the sandy coastal plain. The southwestern race (lesser prairie chicken) lives in mixed shinnery oak and grassland. The Gulf-coast race (Atwater's praiiie chicken) inhabits the moist, open coastal prairie. The central race (greater prairie chicken) occurs in a variety of natural grassland types from exten- sively open to quite brushy; also man-made openings m the Great Lakes region. SHARP-TAILED GROUSE Pedioecetes phasianellus ' PAST AND PRESENT DISTRIBUTION Range. — Canada ami Alaska, south of lice line, and northern United States, eastward to east side, of Hudson and Jatnes Bays, atid to the wesleiii Great Lakes. Now much restricted in the southern portion of orif;;inal raiif;e. Noithein po|)ulalions move southwai'd dui'iu^ some winters. 10 SHARP-TAILED GROUSE Pedioecetes phasianellus PRESENT DISTRIBUTION Habitat. — Natural grasslands with low sage or open woodlands; extensive brushy openings in cut-over lands of the originally forested Great Lakes area; also extensive open boggy areas or "muskegs" in the Boreal Forest region. 11 SAGE GROUSE Centrocercus urophasianus PAST AND PRESENT DISTRIBUTION PRESENT DISTRIBUTION Range. — Arid plains and basin country of western United States and southwestern Canada. Habitat. — Sagebrush growth of the more northern deserts and higher southern deserts; also of overgrazed portions of the Great Plains and intermountain valleys. (tf'' \j]/A^ P»#p 12 WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN Lagopus leucmus PAST AND PRESENT DISTRIBUTION Kenai (penmsulans) g Northern ( leucurus) ^H Vancouver ( saxotihs) t^ Rainier ( romierensis; ^ [o;:^ \ Southern ( Qltipetensl Range. — Above timberline in the mountains of southern Alaska, western Canada, and western United States, south to the southern Rooky Mountains and northern Cascades. Habitat. — Rock-strewn alpine meadows above timberline. 13 GRAY OR HUNGARIAN PARTRIDGE Perdix perdix PAST AND PRESENT DISTRIBUTION v^':r^^yTT3?7^^Mr !0C 0 100 Range. — Native to Europe and Asia from the British Isles eastward to the Volga River in Russia; north to southern Sweden and north- western Russia; south to the Mediterranean Sea, Asia Minor, and the Caspian Sea. Established after introduction in extreme open country of the northern United States and southern Canada. Habitat (in North America). — Primarily natu- ral, open, dry grasslands, particularly in vicinity of irrigated cropland; irrigated land in northern desert scrub regions; also a few areas of extensive open agricultural country in moister, originall}- forested regions. '^ivV MB ^t 14 ROCK PARTRIDGE OR CHUKAR Alectoris graeca PAST AND PRESENT DISTRIBUTION Range. — Native to mountainous regions of cen- tral and southern Europe and Asia. Established after introduction in desert mountain areas of western United .States. Habitat (in North America). — .Sparsely vege- tated, rocky slopes in sagebrush belt of desert ranges. MOUNTAIN QUAIL Oreortyx picta PAST AND PRESENT DISTRIBUTION [ J Coast ( palmeri , Desert (eremophila) Plumed (picta) [ I San Pedro (confims) Pallid ( russelh) Races unknown j{-itttl Intermediate ' palmen x picta ) Sfatute miles 500 6 Of/ Range. — Native to mountains of Pacific coastal region of extreme western United States. Estab- lished after introduction in mountains of eastern Washington, western Idaho, eastern Oregon, and central Nevada. Habitat. — Brushy clearings in forested areas in mountains. Sprout-grown areas appearing after burns are characteristic habitat. Northwestern Mexican race occurs in pine-oak forest and adjacent chaparral. Individuals that nest at higher altitudes usually migrate to lower moun- tain levels in winter. 15 GAMBEL'S QUAIL Lophortyx gambelii PAST AND PRESENT DISTRIBUTION Jan 1955 L. - J Western (gambeln) Easier n(sonQ ) Texas ( ignoscens) Fulvous-breasted ( fuivipectus) Race unknown blo'ute miles Range. — Native to southwestern United States and northwestern Mexieo. Established after in- troihiction far from native ranj^'e at one locality in Idaho. History of Colorado populations un- certain. Habitat. — Desert scruh and desert grassland, usually in bottomland; penetrating the tliorn forest in western Mexico; also in bottomlands of sagebrush country in Ftali and western Colorado, especialh near cultivated areas. CALIFORNIA QUAIL Lophortyx californica PAST AND PRESENT DISTRIBUTION Range. — Native to Pacific coastal and interior valley sections of extreme western United States and western Mexico. Established after intro- duction in eastern Washington, western Idaho, eastern Oregon, Nevada, and Utah. Habitat. — Chaparral or mixed brush and grass- land ; particularly mixed habitat such as hedgerows and fallow fields characteristic of mixed farming; in dryest sections, streamsifle willow thickets. Northwestern Mexican races found in a variety of habitats such as pine-oak foothills, chaparral, desert scrub, and tropical deciduous forest. 16 SCALED QUAIL Callipepla squama ta PAST AND PRESENT DISTRIBUTION Range. — Native to arid sections of southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Established after introduction far nortli of its original range in eastern Washington. Habitat. — Desert grasslands, usually upland and more or less brushy. GAMBEL'S -^' SCALED 17 BOBWHITE Colinus virginianus PAST AND PRESENT DISTRIBUTION ^m New England (mariiandicus) [ ) Spotted - bel I ied(macuiafus)[iyS|^ Guatemalon ( inslgnis) East ern ( VI rginianus) j J Jaumove (or idus ) I I Salvin's (sol V ini ) n::::j GrOySOn'S (groysoni) ||||||||| GoyoicOS (coyolcos) PueblO{nignpectus) X-x-:' T hoyer 's ( fhoyeri ) BlGCk-breasted(pectoroiis) ^^^^^ Black- headedtatnceps) I I II II I Godman's (godmoni) llllllllllll Nelson's (nelsom) [ j Least (minor) | |_ Cuban (cubonensis) I Mil Races unknown Flor i do ( floridonus) Interior (mexiconus) Plains ( toylori ) TexaS( texonus) Masked ( ndgwcyi) 18 BOB WHITE Colinus virginianus PRESENT DISTRIBUTION Established di s1ribu1ion(past ond present Present distribution Range. — Native to United States east of tlie Rocky Mountains and extreme southern '^ ' -^ flr^ yv ^^^'^'tof,^ RING-NECKED PHEASANT COCK AND HEN r.y^J^-nri HUNGARIAN PARTRIDGE HEN AND COCK •• ;» ^ 9 ?:. / / CHUKAR PARTRIDGE SEXESSIMILAR &QJ- H/nes ' #-s^^: SCALED QUAIL HEN AND COCK ,<^^ <<5^ -J 4 CALIFORNIA QUAIL COCK AND HEN '^-^ X \ "\.^^ BQBWHITE HEN AND COCK r r/y ^ cv r- ^ .:;* ^»r^'*4*i^*V S.,~.l^ UlM^At.^ MOUNTAIN QUAIL SEXES SIMILAR f<''5!^>,^ ^x ^^^. ■'■^'st- HARLEQUIN QUAIL HEN AND COCK m o ^s^ ■^i^ ^'Vv>^ '-■■■A. \, "^^ t^. ^~ ^^ GAMBEL'S QUAIL COCK AND HEN >*«^*Vv V ^ ^ ^-"^ CHACHALACA SEXESSIMILAR TURKEY HEN AND GOBBLER „nTrf^'M'^!?% ni'liiii 5 WHSE 00097