Grey Partridge

The Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix) is a gamebird in pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds.

This partridge breeds on farmland across most of Europe into western Asia, laying up to 20 eggs in a ground nest. The nest is usually in the margin of a cereal field, most commonly Winter wheat. It is a non-migratory terrestrial species, which forms flocks outside the breeding season. It is declining greatly in numbers in areas of intensive cultivation such as Great Britain, due to loss of breeding habitat and food supplies. The numbers have fallen by 80% since the 1930s. Efforts are being made in Great Britain to halt the decline by creating Conservation headlands. It was introduced into North America and is quite common in some areas of southern Canada and the northern United States.

It is a rotund bird, brown-backed, with grey underparts, an orange face and a chestnut belly patch. there is little difference between the sexes. When disturbed, like most of the gamebirds, it flies a short distance on rounded wings.

This is a seed-eating species, but the young in particular take insects as an essential protein supply. During the first 10 days of life, the young can only digest insects. These are collected by the parents from the edges of cereal fields.