Chakor, National Bird of Pakistan

“Chand ko kya maloom chahata hai usko chakor

How could the Moon discern the enchanting Chakor?

woh bechara door se dekhe kare na koi shor.”

Glaring he keeps on, understanding all chirp is futile

These are the words of a classical Indian song in which the poet has simulated himself as Chakor and the moon as his beloved, expressing the grief for his malcontent enjoy. Chakor (Alectoris Chukar) is a symbol of passionate but unreciprocated enjoy in Indian sub continent.  It is identified to bewitch by the moon and for its constant gaze at moon.

Chakor (Alectoris Chukar), The National Bird of Pakistan

Chakor or Chukar is a chunky 32-35 cm extended bird of remarkable colour scheme like brown back, grey breast, and sandy color belly. Although the face is white and legs are red. Its tail consists of 14 feathers.

Chakor belongs to the pheasant loved ones Phasianidae and is native of Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Nepal, Turkey and Kashmir variety. It is also connected to its western tantamount, the Red-legged Partridge, Alectoris Rufa. Normally their territories are rocky open hillsides and primarily they are identified at an altitude of 2000 to 4000 m. But in Pakistan they are also observed at 600m. They do not reside in humid and rainy places. Generally Chakor travels in groups of five to 30 and the groups are called coveys. They like wide range of seeds and insects as food and occasionally they also swallow the dust particles. The seeds of Eragrostis in Kashmir are their preferred diet program.

In the breeding season the female lays eight to 20 eggs in total and 1 egg per day throughout the captivity period. Their nest is a scantily lined ground scrape protected by shrubs and tiny brambles. Generally their nests exist on hilly slopes with rocky offshoots, above streams. Nesting Chakor might be observed inside three km of water. It is specially recognized for its surgical upward flights and rapid vanishing in the hills and trees. Due to their remote existence they are not threatened due to hunting but inappropriate weather patterns can be dangerous for their population.

Chakor has been declared as national bird of Pakistan.