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Difference between revisions of "Grey Partridge" - BirdForum Opus

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;Perdix perdix
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[[Image:Grey_Partridge.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|piotr+biegaj|piotr biegaj}}<br />Northern [[Poland]], April 2004]]
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[[Image:Grey_Partridge.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by piotr biegaj]]
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;[[:Category:Perdix|Perdix]] perdix
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
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*Relatively small headed and rotund
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*Relatively small headed and chubby
 
*Orange face and throat
 
*Orange face and throat
 
*Green bill
 
*Green bill
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====Female====
 
====Female====
 
Similar to male, but duller
 
Similar to male, but duller
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====Similar Species====
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[[Image:50712Picture 054.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Artwork by {{user|ARTHUR+BISHOP|ARTHUR BISHOP}}<br />Norfolk. U.K, 2006]]
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[[Red-legged Partridge]]
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==Distribution==
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Breeds throughout [[Europe]] from the [[UK]] to [[Kazakhstan]], and [[Scandinavia]], with a patchy distribution in southern [[Europe]].
  
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Fly close to the ground, interspersing bouts of wing flapping with wobbly glides, producing a whirring noise as the wings flap.
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Also found in parts of southern [[Canada]] ([[Alberta]], [[Saskatchewan]] and [[Manitoba]]) and northern [[USA]], where it was introduced from Europe, as a game bird and has thrived on the prairies and agricultural land.
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==Taxonomy==
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====Subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>====
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There are 7 subspecies:
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*''P. p. perdix'':
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:*[[British Isles]] and southern [[Scandinavia]] to [[Alps]], [[Italy]] and [[Balkans]]
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*''P. p. sphagnetorum'':
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:*Moors of northern [[Holland]] and north-western [[Germany]]
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*''P. p. armoricana'':
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:*Locally in [[France]]
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*''P. p. hispaniensis'':
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:*Central Pyrénées (north-eastern [[Portugal]] and northern [[Spain]])
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*''P. p. lucida'':
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:*[[Finland]] east to Ural Mountains and south to Black Sea and northern Caucasus
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*''P. p. robusta'':
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:*Ural Mountains to south-western [[Siberia]] and north-western [[China]]
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*''P. p. canescens'':
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:*[[Turkey]] east to the Caucasus, Transcaucasia and north-western [[Iran]]
  
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==Distribution==
 
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Breeds throughout Europe from the UK to Kazakhstan, extending north to Scandinavia, with a patchy distribution in southern Europe. A resident farmland bird, in Britain the grey partridge inhabits lowland arable areas from the south chalklands as far north as Aberdeen.
 
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==Taxonomy==
 
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
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In addition to farmland, the grey partridge can be found on wasteland, moors, and sand dunes.<br/>
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Can be found on a wide variety of habitats, from farmland to moorland and sand dunes.
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Adults prefer to occupy open grass or vegetation, but tend to move their chicks into cereal crops with abundant sources of the invertebrate food required by the young.
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Adults are more likely to be seen in open grass or vegetation the young, however, prefer cereal crops.
 +
====Status====
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Once common, the population has crashed, possibly due to farming practices.
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
 +
Can be found in 'coveys' outside of the breeding season.
 +
====Action====
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They are inclined to fly close to the ground. Wing flaps produce a whirring noise.
 
====Diet====
 
====Diet====
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Adults feed on grass, seeds and shoots; they also take some insects during the breeding season. The young feed completely on invertebrates such as sawflies, beetles and aphids for the first 2 weeks after hatching.
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Adults: grass, seeds and shoots; also insects when breeding.<br >
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====Diet====
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Chicks: only eat invertebrates such as sawflies, beetles and aphids.
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The breeding season lasts between mid-April and early September. During this relatively long period, just one brood is produced; but as the clutch can contain up to 16 eggs (one of the largest clutches of any living bird species) this is perhaps understandable. If the clutch is lost, however, an emergency 'replacement brood' can be produced. Nests are usually well hidden at the base of a hedge or clump of vegetation, and consist of a scrape in the ground lined with grass and leaves. After the breeding season, grey partridges form groups known as 'coveys'.
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====Breeding====
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==Voice==
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Mid-April to early September. Up to 16 eggs laid in a well-hidden scrape nest lined with grass and leaves. If they lose their first clutch, they may lay again.
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====Vocalisation====
 
Includes a high, hoarse ''keev'', and a ''pitt-pitt-pitt'' when alarmed.
 
Includes a high, hoarse ''keev'', and a ''pitt-pitt-pitt'' when alarmed.
  
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<flashmp3>Perdix perdix (song).mp3</flashmp3><br />
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{{ Audio|Perdix perdix (song).mp3 }}
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''[[Media:Perdix perdix (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
 
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==Discussion==
 
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A native to Britain, and was once known simply as 'the partridge'. The introduced red-legged partridge became so common, however, that the pre-fix 'grey' was added.<br/>
 
  
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The grey partridge was once an extremely common gamebird in Britain; before 1940 an average of 2 million individuals were shot each year. Between 1969 and 1990, however, the UK population fell by more than 50%, and a 1993 estimate put the population at 150,000 pairs.<br/>
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==References==
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug14}}#ArKive
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The main reason for this huge decline is thought to be changes in agricultural practices, such as the widespread loss of suitable nesting sites due to agricultural intensification. The increased use of herbicides and pesticides has reduced the availability of insect food for chicks. Furthermore, farm operations, particularly early mowing, carried out by machinery have caused massive losses of nests.
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#BF Member observations
 +
{{ref}}
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==External Links==
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{{GSearch|"Perdix Perdix" {{!}} "Grey Partridge"}}
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<br />
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{{VSearch|"Perdix Perdix" {{!}} "Grey Partridge"}}
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{{GS-checked}}1
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<br />
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<br />
  
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==External Links==
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[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Perdix]][[Category:Bird Songs]] [[Category:Videos]]
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{{GSearch|Grey+Partridge}}
 
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[[Category:Birds]]
 

Latest revision as of 22:37, 25 February 2023

Photo by piotr biegaj
Northern Poland, April 2004
Perdix perdix

Identification

  • Relatively small headed and chubby
  • Orange face and throat
  • Green bill
  • Grey legs

Male

  • White underbelly
  • Chestnut horseshoe on lower breast

Female

Similar to male, but duller

Similar Species

Artwork by ARTHUR BISHOP
Norfolk. U.K, 2006

Red-legged Partridge

Distribution

Breeds throughout Europe from the UK to Kazakhstan, and Scandinavia, with a patchy distribution in southern Europe.

Also found in parts of southern Canada (Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba) and northern USA, where it was introduced from Europe, as a game bird and has thrived on the prairies and agricultural land.

Taxonomy

Subspecies[1]

There are 7 subspecies:

  • P. p. perdix:
  • P. p. sphagnetorum:
  • P. p. armoricana:
  • P. p. hispaniensis:
  • P. p. lucida:
  • Finland east to Ural Mountains and south to Black Sea and northern Caucasus
  • P. p. robusta:
  • Ural Mountains to south-western Siberia and north-western China
  • P. p. canescens:
  • Turkey east to the Caucasus, Transcaucasia and north-western Iran

Habitat

Can be found on a wide variety of habitats, from farmland to moorland and sand dunes. Adults are more likely to be seen in open grass or vegetation the young, however, prefer cereal crops.

Status

Once common, the population has crashed, possibly due to farming practices.

Behaviour

Can be found in 'coveys' outside of the breeding season.

Action

They are inclined to fly close to the ground. Wing flaps produce a whirring noise.

Diet

Adults: grass, seeds and shoots; also insects when breeding.
Chicks: only eat invertebrates such as sawflies, beetles and aphids.

Breeding

Mid-April to early September. Up to 16 eggs laid in a well-hidden scrape nest lined with grass and leaves. If they lose their first clutch, they may lay again.

Vocalisation

Includes a high, hoarse keev, and a pitt-pitt-pitt when alarmed.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2014. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.9., with updates to August 2014. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. ArKive
  3. BF Member observations

Recommended Citation

External Links


GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

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