Description

The grey partridge is 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 (4). A relatively small-headed, rotund gamebird, the grey partridge has an orange face and throat, green bill and grey legs (2). In males, the white underbelly is marked with an obvious chestnut coloured horseshoe on the lower breast (5). Females are similar in appearance, but duller in colour. Grey partridges fly close to the ground, interspersing bouts of wing flapping with wobbly glides, producing a whirring noise as the wings flap (5). The voice includes a high, hoarse 'keev', and a 'pitt-pitt-pitt' when alarmed (2).