Red-legged Partridge

The Red-legged Partridge is a striking gamebird with a grey-brown crown and back, warm buff underparts, and a bold black border enclosing a white throat and face, finely streaked below with black bars extending onto strongly barred chestnut, black, and white flanks. The bright red bill and legs are diagnostic at close range.

Native to southwestern Europe, it has been introduced widely elsewhere, including Britain, where large numbers are also reared and released, supplementing wild populations.

Key field marks

• Bold black border framing a whitish throat and face
• Bright red bill and legs
• Strongly barred chestnut, black, and white flank pattern
• Grey-brown crown and back with buff underparts
• Harsh, rhythmic "chuk-chuk-arr" call

Similar species

• Grey Partridge lacks the black-and-white striped face pattern, showing instead a plain orange face and a dark belly horseshoe.
• Chukar Partridge (where introduced, mainly outside Europe) is very similar but has a duller, less contrasting head pattern and different range.

The boldly striped face and red bill and legs make Red-legged Partridge readily distinguishable from Grey Partridge.

Habitat

Prefers dry, open country including arable farmland, vineyards, olive groves, heathland, and scrubby grassland, tolerating drier conditions than Grey Partridge.

Range

Native to southwestern Europe (Iberia, France, and parts of Italy); introduced and now well established in Britain and locally elsewhere.

Migration

Resident and sedentary, remaining in coveys near breeding areas throughout the year.

Behavior

Forms coveys outside the breeding season, running rapidly through open ground and flushing with a low, whirring flight when disturbed, often preferring to run rather than fly.

Voice

Gives a loud, rhythmic, chuckling "chuk-chuk-arr" or "kaa-kaa-kaa" call, often repeated persistently.

Feeding

Feeds mainly on seeds, leaves, and shoots, with insects an important addition to the diet of growing chicks.

Nesting and breeding

Nests in a shallow ground scrape among vegetation. Unusually, females sometimes lay two clutches, one incubated by each parent, with clutches of 10-16 eggs incubated for about 23-24 days.