A question about Red Legged Partridges? (1 Viewer)

[Peewit]

Hi there

Just a question of interest here.

I was watching 'Wildlife SOS' a couple of nights ago, and a Red Legged Partridge had got itself stuck down a house owners chimney. What an attractive bird (I have never seen one before)

Anyway Simon Cowell (Wildlife Presenter) went on a mission to rescue this bird from fate, and got it out of the chimney stack. Luckily it was fine, and released into the Wild once more. Simon said that he let the bird loose away from Shooting Estates to protect its interests.

The question I would like to ask about Partridges in general. Are the common Partridges breed for shooting, or are the Red Legged taken for shooting purposes too, and are they in the same league?.
I also understand that the Red Legged Partridges are originally from France so they are introduced - how does that affect them for breeding for shooting, if this is the case for them?

Just curious if anyone knows what the facts are about these birds?

Regards
Kathy

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Grey partridges are native. Red-legged partridges were introduced for shooting and are reared and released into the wild for that purpose, although they have spread.

They were unpopular with shooters because they often choose to run rather than fly but with the decline of grey partridge the shoots have had to put up with this in recent years.

 

[KnockerNorton]

Red-legged partridges are reared in vast numbers, similar to battery hens, and then sold by the hundred/thousand to shooting estates who then mature them in outdoor pens, before releasing them a month or two later to be shot as live targets.

They are also a naturalised species that breeds wild and commonly. So the Red-legged Partridge is in a similar bracket to the pheasant. They are native to continental Europe.

The Grey Partridge is the native species in Britain, although as it becaomes more rare, it is being replaced by the red-legged. Greys are also bred and released for shooting, although most estates accept now that this is a rum do as it is not very successful and is harmful to the wild population. Instead, they either have a voluntary embargo on shooting greys, and try to enhance habitat so that numbers build, or they switch entirely to red-legged shooting. There is a problem with greys being shot by accident during driven shoots of red-elgs - it's hard to tell what's flying at you - and up to 30% of greys on an estate can be killed by accident like this. But the grey is a beloved quarry species on the lowlands, and to be fair to the shooting fraternity, they are really trying to do the best by the grey at the moment by not shooting where they can avoid it, and by getting numbers up where they can but not shooting til tey have a sustainable 'crop'. But much of the decline of the grey is out of the hands of game estates, so they can only do so much.

 

[Peewit]

Grey partridges are native. Red-legged partridges were introduced for shooting and are reared and released into the wild for that purpose, although they have spread.

They were unpopular with shooters because they often choose to run rather than fly but with the decline of grey partridge the shoots have had to put up with this in recent years.

Hi Alan

Interesting what you say about Partridges having a different gait. I wish the Greys would run too. Shows that luck do not always go with the Gamekeepers, having it all their way all of the time.
Though as we know it is a large financial ins tuition now, and creates a necessary income for many now.

Thanks for your information. :t:

Red-legged partridges are reared in vast numbers, similar to battery hens, and then sold by the hundred/thousand to shooting estates who then mature them in outdoor pens, before releasing them a month or two later to be shot as live targets.

They are also a naturalised species that breeds wild and commonly. So the Red-legged Partridge is in a similar bracket to the pheasant. They are native to continental Europe.

The Grey Partridge is the native species in Britain, although as it becomes more rare, it is being replaced by the red-legged. Greys are also bred and released for shooting, although most estates accept now that this is a rum do as it is not very successful and is harmful to the wild population. Instead, they either have a voluntary embargo on shooting greys, and try to enhance habitat so that numbers build, or they switch entirely to red-legged shooting. There is a problem with greys being shot by accident during driven shoots of red-legs - it's hard to tell what's flying at you - and up to 30% of greys on an estate can be killed by accident like this. But the grey is a beloved quarry species on the lowlands, and to be fair to the shooting fraternity, they are really trying to do the best by the grey at the moment by not shooting where they can avoid it, and by getting numbers up where they can but not shooting til tey have a sustainable 'crop'. But much of the decline of the grey is out of the hands of game estates, so they can only do so much.

Hi Poecile

Again it is the knowing here. I never knew that natural Greys who are in the wrong place at the wrong time, get shot as they are. So the population of the Greys are being affected, but they are being preserved at the same time. Boost up their habitat and they are fine. Well not really, as they are our native species after all.

As for the Red Legged, they seem to be in the UK to stay. Bred for hunting.

That is interesting to discover. Thank you for the information here :t:

Regards
Kathy

 

[KnockerNorton]

ha ha ha, how come my quote is attributed to 'Porcine'?!

Right, that's it, diet starts tomorrow!

 

[Peewit]

ha ha ha, how come my quote is attributed to 'Porcine'?!

Right, that's it, diet starts tomorrow!

Hi Poecile (Hey you are back again )

Oh dear, and I am typing one hand too. So I am not fairing any better.

I'll edit (diet) you if I can from here LOL - done it!!

Regards
Kathy

 

[Farnboro John]

So far as I can tell locally the shooters can't tell (or don't try to tell) Grey from Red-legged and shoot everything: but only Red-legs get put down for shooting. The result is that where I could find coveys of 30 Greys a mere five years ago now there are dozens of Red-legs and no Greys at all despite whole days of searching.

Grey will continue to decline until the law stops shooters from putting down non-native species. If they had to depend on Greys I bet they could improve their husbandry really quickly.

John