Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix)
Grey Partridge

Grey Partridge

Perdix perdix

The Grey Partridge, known scientifically as Perdix perdix, is a gamebird belonging to the pheasant family Phasianidae. This rotund bird is characterized by its brown back, grey flanks, and chest, with a white belly often adorned with a chestnut-brown horse-shoe mark in males and many females.

Identification Tips

Adult Grey Partridges can be distinguished by their size and distinctive markings. They measure approximately 30-33 cm in length, weigh between 390-500 g, and have a wingspan of 53-56 cm. A key identification feature is the so-called cross of Lorraine on the tertiary coverts of females, which display two transverse bars, as opposed to the single bar in males. Juveniles are mostly yellow-brown and lack the face and underpart markings of adults.

Habitat

The Grey Partridge typically nests in the margins of cereal fields, with a preference for winter wheat.

Distribution

This species is widespread and common throughout much of Europe and the western Palearctic, extending as far as southwestern Siberia. It has been introduced to Canada, the United States, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

Behaviour

Outside the breeding season, Grey Partridges form flocks of up to 30 individuals. They are non-migratory and terrestrial, often found foraging at the edges of cereal fields.

Song & Calls

The Grey Partridge's song is a harsh, high-pitched "kieerr-ik." When disturbed, it flies a short distance on rounded wings, emitting a "rick rick rick" call.

Breeding

Hens lay up to twenty eggs in a ground nest, with the breeding season typically occurring in the spring and early summer.

Similar Species

The Grey Partridge may be confused with other partridge species, but its distinctive markings and habitat preferences can aid in proper identification.

Diet and Feeding

The diet consists primarily of seeds, but young partridges rely heavily on insects for protein during their first 10 days of life.

Conservation Status

The Grey Partridge is listed as "Least Concern" by the IUCN, but populations have declined in areas of intensive cultivation, such as the UK, where it is on the "Birds of Conservation Concern" Red List.

Subspecies

There are eight recognized subspecies of Grey Partridge, including P. p. armoricana in France, P. p. canescens in Turkey to northwest Iran, and P. p. hispaniensis in the Iberian Peninsula, among others.

Grey Partridge Sounds



Recorded by: © 
App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Grey Partridge Fun Facts

Did you know?
Grey Partridges lay the most eggs of any bird, with up to 19 eggs per clutch!

Grey Partridges on Birda

Sightings

More Pheasants & Allies

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Madstherangers
A mordern game changer
Birda is an awesome app, its updated the world of birding to the modern day with a fun and easy to use app. It’s engaging and allows positive interaction with fellow bird lovers!
Emcil24
A Friendly Place
I love using the bird app, I have a pretty good knowledge of birds. But I do have some gaps in it, so it’s nice to have a safe space to check on a sighting to confirm the species. It’s really enjoyable and I love the badges you can collect. It’s like a real life Pokémon go.
Ellesse_W
Learning Birding with Birda
I’m relatively new to birding as a hobby, and Birda is a great way to keep track off all the species I see. I’m still working on my ID skills, but the app is great for figuring out potential species, and the online community is so friendly and helpful. Definitely recommend Birda to both early and serious birders! 🐦
Carl B
Helped me to identify more birds
Love this app and has helped me to identify more birds. The challenges and badges are great for keeping the motivation going to get out and keep birding.
Safira V
Birding and wellbeing app
Birda is an excellent platform to share your love of Birding and is a great tool of encouragement for a Birding Beginner like me. Birda has a very kind and supportive community of Birding enthusiasts. For me BIRDA is not only a BIRDING but also a WELLBEING App.
Tralisalandhoop
Fantastic app - Love it!
Love this app and have used it almost daily. Lots of species information and easy to use. Love seeing birds spotted by other users in the UK and worldwide.
SuperOliviaGirl
Really great app
It’s easy to use and it’s fun to log the birds you notice on a walk or just in your garden. There’s a option to record the birds you see in a session which is really nice. Good excuse to stop for a while and just watch birds. I am also enjoying the information part where you can find out fact about birds from all over the world.
Paul F
Very good database
Highly recommend. It great that this app shows you male Vs female variations when posting. Very good database I'm really impressed.
Robred 2
Fun way to add to your birdwatching experience
I enjoy watching birds in my backyard, but this app helped me really pay attention while on vacation this summer. It was fun to add new birds to my bird watching app.
Sacha0508
Simply fantastic
I love this app, it puts so much fun into recording the birds I’ve seen and heard while I’m out and about. The interface is user-friendly and suitable for all ages. It’s great to collect badges and to review my “lists”.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.