Chukar, Alectoris chukar, is a species of gamebird found in heathland and shrub and unvegetated or sparsely vegetated land ecosystems. It is resident in south-eastern Europe (mostly Bulgaria, Grece and Turkey). The species is found on barren arid and semi-arid hillsides with low vegetation cover and occasional stunted trees and bushes. At lower altitudes it is found on rocky slopes with shrubs and bushes adapted to dry conditions, in vineyards, olive groves and on agricultural land. It has also been found on forested slopes up to 2,800 m in the Turkish mountains bordering the Black Sea (European Red List 2015).

Alectoris chukar has a breeding population size of 71500-143000 pairs and a breeding range size of 29200 square kilometres in the EU27. The breeding population trend in the EU27 is Stable in the short term and Unknown in the long term.

The EU population status of Alectoris chukar was assessed as Secure, because the species does not meet any of the IUCN Red List criteria for threatened or Near Threatened, or the criteria for Depleted or Declining (the EU27 population or range has not declined by 20% or more since 1980).