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Story: Game birds

Upland game birds: chukor

Upland game birds: chukor

Dubbed the ‘grey ghost’ by some hunters, chukor are found in higher, drier areas of Marlborough, Canterbury and Central Otago. They are uncommon and challenging to hunt – few game-bird hunters have seen one, let alone shot one.

Using this item

Private collection

Reference: Geoff Moon, The Reed field guide to New Zealand birds. Auckland: Reed, 1992, p. 97.

by Geoff Moon

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

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How to cite this page

Neil Deans, Game birds – Game birds in New Zealand, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/16708/upland-game-birds-chukor (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Neil Deans, published 30 October 2009, updated 20 April 2025.

Comments

Geraldine Leaman
22 October 2023
I have just spotted the above bird in my garden in Wistaston, near Crewe Cheshire this afternoon. I took some photos I think it’s a young bird.
Jackie Boulton
12 November 2010
I saw a chukor on Nov 7th. We were driving through Molesworth Station, & were in the vicinity of Ward's Pass.