Chukars are chickenlike game birds with a plump body, short legs, and a small round head. In flight, the tail is square and the wings are broad and rounded.
Relative Size
Larger than a California Quail, smaller than a Ring-necked Pheasant.
Chukars are sandy brown overall with bold, vertical black bars on the sides. A dark band through the eyes wraps around the white cheek and throat. A red bill and eyering tops off the look.
Chukars are ground-dwelling birds that would rather walk or run than fly. They run up rocky slopes with ease and hop from rock to rock, easily outpacing a human. When frightened they explode into the air with a piercing squeal.
Chukars occupy steep rocky grasslands and shrublands in remote and rugged areas that are difficult traverse. They also use dry pasture lands and sagebrush flats in the West.