Medium-sized, ground-dwelling game birds, between quail and pheasants in size, mostly grey and brown. They are native to Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, and species such as the grey partridge have been introduced to North America for hunting.
Quick answers
What is it?Bird
Carnivore?Omnivore
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Daytime
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?Yes
Popular game birds, often reared in captivity and released for shooting.
At a glance
Found inEurope, Asia, Africa, North America
HabitatGrassland, Farmland, Forest
ColoursBrown, Grey, Orange
SizeSmall
Length29–31 cm (grey partridge)
Weight320–455 g (grey partridge)
Legs2
Covered inFeathers
Lives ingroups
Lives for2–5 years
Can fly
Lays eggs
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Native to Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East; introduced to North America and elsewhere for hunting.
- What it eats
- Seeds and insects; young chicks can digest only insects for their first 10 days.
Did you know
Almost never sits in a pear tree. Partridges nest on the ground.
A grey partridge hen can lay up to twenty eggs in a ground nest, usually at the edge of a cereal field.
In the UK, grey partridge numbers fell by as much as 85% in 25 years.
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