Home range size and microhabitat selection by a tropical partridge species in moist evergreen forest

Understanding the diurnal and nocturnal habitat requirements of Galliformes is important for gauging their conservation needs. To examine these requirements, we measured microhabitat usage at daytime foraging and roost sites of the green-legged partridge Tropicoperdix chloropus located by radio telemetry at Khao Yai National Park in 2009–2010 and defined which habitat characteristics were influential. During the day, individuals utilised sites that had denser and thicker understory plants and cover than random sites. Binary logistic regression indicated that the density of understory plants and woody climber stems had the largest influence on partridge habitat selection. At night, partridges roost on elevated trees. Adult males roosted alone within their territories during incubation, but during other times, they roosted as a pair or with the family group. After the chicks hatched, the female would take the chicks to roost on the ground within tree buttresses until three weeks of age, when they were able to fly up to roost on trees. The mean roosting tree height was 5.6 m, and the mean perch height was 3.2 m from the ground. The partridges preferred roosting sites with a denser and higher canopy cover to their perch position (>3 m), but a lower density and canopy cover of understory plants under their perch position (<3 m). Binary logistic regression indicated positive associations with percent cover of small trees (3–5 m), but a negative association with percent cover of understory plants. Large trees had the most influence on roost site selection. The use of different forest structures by the partridges during day and night supports the need for maintaining a complex habitat composition for the conservation of this species.