Birds of Nova Scotia

Appendix 1: Hypothetical Species | Literature Cited | Bird List | Birds of NS
The following is a list of species whose attempted introduction to Nova Scotia has failed:

Common Capercaillie Tetrao urogallus Linnaeus
Five pairs were liberated on 7 October 1929 at South Brookfield, Queens County, by FB. McCurdy, who imported them from Sweden. They are believed to have lived only a few days (Tufts 1930).

Black Eurasian-Grouse Lyurus tetrix (Linnaeus)
Ten pairs were released with the Capercaillie and met the same fate.

Chukar Alectoris chukar (Gray)
Several pairs were released in different areas in summer 1957 by the Nova Scotia Department of Lands and Forests, but all are believed to have perished before winter.
Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo Linnaeus
Several pairs were released with the Chukars in 1957 with the same results.

Northern Bobwhite Colinus viryinianus (Linnaeus)
Fifty pairs were imported from southern Ontario in 1950 by the Kings County Fish and Game Association. They were liberated in the Canard area of Kings County on 6 April but were evidently annihilated by persistent low temperatures and snowstorms in the days following. During 1952 considerably larger numbers were released in the same area. These were birds of the year that had been raised in the Provincial Wildlife Park at Shubenacadie, Hants County. During early fall 1953 several large flocks were seen, and in spring 1954 the distinctive calls of the cocks were commonly heard throughout the district. Few, however, survived the following winter (1954-55) and none was reported from the areas of liberation in 1956. Single birds in Kings and Yarmouth counties in 1976 and flocks in Lunenburg County in 1981 and 1982 may have been unauthorized releases or escapes from stocks kept for dog-training purposes (N. Van Nostrand).





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