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A partridge is a medium-sized galliform bird in any of several genera, with a wide native distribution throughout parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. Several species have been introduced to the Americas. They are sometimes grouped in the Perdicinae subfamily of the
Phasianidae The Phasianidae are a family (biology), family of heavy, ground-living birds, which includes pheasants, partridges, junglefowl, chickens, Turkey bird, turkeys, Old World quail, and peafowl. The family includes many of the most popular Game (hunti ...
(pheasants, quail, etc.). However, molecular research suggests that partridges are not a distinct
taxon In biology, a taxon (back-formation from ''taxonomy''; plural taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular nam ...
within the family Phasianidae, but that some species are closer to the pheasants, while others are closer to the junglefowl.


Description

Partridges are medium-sized
game A game is a structured form of play (activity), play, usually undertaken for enjoyment, entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator s ...
birds, generally intermediate in size between the larger pheasants, smaller quail; they're ground-dwelling birds that feature variable plumage colouration across species, with most tending to grey and brown.


Range and habitat

Partridges are native to
Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
,
Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
,
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
, and the
Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
. Some species are found nesting on steppes or agricultural land, while other species prefer more forested areas. They nest on the ground and have a diet consisting of seeds and insects.


Hunting

Species such as the grey partridge and the
red-legged partridge The red-legged partridge (''Alectoris rufa'') is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds. It is sometimes known as French partridge, to distinguish it from the English or grey partridge. The ge ...
are popular as game birds, and are often reared in captivity and released for the purpose of hunting. For the same reason, they have been introduced into large areas of North America.


Cultural references

According to Greek legend, the first partridge appeared when
Daedalus In Greek mythology, Daedalus (, ; Greek: Δαίδαλος; Latin: ''Daedalus''; Etruscan: ''Taitale'') was a skillful architect and craftsman, seen as a symbol of wisdom, knowledge and power. He is the father of Icarus, the uncle of Perdix, an ...
threw his nephew,
Perdix ''Perdix'' is a genus of Galliform gamebirds known collectively as the 'true partridges'. These birds are unrelated to the subtropical species that have been named after the partridge due to similar size and morphology. Taxonomy The genus ''Pe ...
, off the sacred hill of
Athena Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarded as the patron and protectress of ...
in a fit of jealous
rage Rage may refer to: * Rage (emotion), an intense form of anger Games * Rage (collectible card game), a collectible card game * Rage (trick-taking card game), a commercial variant of the card game Oh Hell * ''Rage'' (video game), a 2011 first-per ...
. Supposedly mindful of his fall, the bird does not build its nest in the trees, nor take lofty flights and avoids high places. As described by medieval scholar
Madeleine Pelner Cosman Madeleine Pelner Cosman (December 4, 1937 – March 2, 2006) was an academic writer-researcher, policy analyst and advocate. She long held faculty membership at City College of New York. As a medical lawyer, educator and healthcare policy guru, ...
, medical practitioners in the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
recommended partridge as a food of love: They suggested that "Partridge was superior in arousing dulled passions and increasing the powers of engendering. Gentle to the human stomach, partridge stimulated bodily fluids, raised the spirits, and firmed the muscles." Probably the most famous reference to the partridge is in the Christmas carol, "
The Twelve Days of Christmas The Twelve Days of Christmas, also known as Twelvetide, is a festive Christian season celebrating the Nativity of Jesus. In some Western ecclesiastical traditions, "Christmas Day" is considered the "First Day of Christmas" and the Twelve Days a ...
". The first gift listed is "a partridge in a
pear Pears are fruits produced and consumed around the world, growing on a tree and harvested in the Northern Hemisphere in late summer into October. The pear tree and shrub are a species of genus ''Pyrus'' , in the family Rosaceae, bearing the p ...
tree", and these words end each verse. Since partridges are unlikely to be seen in pear-trees (they are ground-nesting birds) it has been suggested that the text "a pear tree" is a corruption of the French "''une perdrix''" (a partridge). The partridge has also been used as a symbol that represents
Kurdish Kurdish may refer to: *Kurds or Kurdish people *Kurdish languages *Kurdish alphabets *Kurdistan, the land of the Kurdish people which includes: **Southern Kurdistan **Eastern Kurdistan **Northern Kurdistan **Western Kurdistan See also * Kurd (dis ...
nationalism. It is called ''Kew''. Sherko Kurmanj discusses the paradox of symbols in Iraq as an attempt to make a distinction between the Kurds and the Arabs. He says that while Iraqis generally regards the palm tree, falcon, and sword as their national symbols, the Kurds consider the oak, partridge, and dagger as theirs.


Species list in taxonomic order

*Genus ''
Lerwa The snow partridge (''Lerwa lerwa'') is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae found widely distributed across the high-altitude Himalayan regions of India, Pakistan, Nepal and China. It is the monotypic, only species within its genus, and ...
'' ** Snow partridge, ''Lerwa lerwa'' *Genus '' Tetraophasis'' **
Verreaux's monal-partridge Verreaux's monal-partridge (''Tetraophasis obscurus'') or the chestnut-throated partridge, is a bird species in the family Phasianidae. It is found only in central China. Its natural habitat is boreal forest. The common name commemorate the Fren ...
, ''Tetraophasis obscurus'' **
Szechenyi's monal-partridge Szechenyi's monal-partridge (''Tetraophasis szechenyii'') or the buff-throated partridge, is a member of the family Phasianidae in the order Galliformes. They are endemic to western China. Taxonomy The common name, as well as the Latin binom ...
, ''Tetraophasis szechenyii'' *Genus ''
Alectoris ''Alectoris'' is a genus of partridges in the family Phasianidae, closely related to Old World quail (''Coturnix'' and relatives), snowcocks ('' Tetraogallus''), partridge-francolins (''Pternistis''), bush quail (''Perdicula''), and sand and see- ...
'' **
Arabian partridge The Arabian partridge (''Alectoris melanocephala'') is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae, native to the southern Arabian peninsula. Two subspecies are recognised, ''A. m. melanocephala'' and ''A. m. guichardi''. It sometimes hybridises ...
, ''Alectoris melanocephala'' **
Przevalski's partridge Przevalski's partridge (''Alectoris magna'') or the rusty-necklaced partridge, is a bird species in the family Phasianidae. It is found only in China. Taxonomy and systematics There are two recognized subspecies: * ''A. m. magna'' * ''A. m. la ...
, ''Alectoris magna'' ** Rock partridge, ''Alectoris graeca'' ** Chukar, ''Alectoris chukar'' **
Philby's partridge Philby's partridge (''Alectoris philbyi'') or Philby's rock partridge, is a relative of the chukar, red-legged partridge and barbary partridges and is native to southwestern Saudi Arabia and northern Yemen. Although similar in appearance to othe ...
, ''Alectoris philbyi'' **
Barbary partridge The Barbary partridge (''Alectoris barbara'') is a gamebird in the pheasant family (Phasianidae) of the order Galliformes. It is native to North Africa. Distribution The Barbary partridge has its main native range in North Africa, and is also na ...
, ''Alectoris barbara'' **
Red-legged partridge The red-legged partridge (''Alectoris rufa'') is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds. It is sometimes known as French partridge, to distinguish it from the English or grey partridge. The ge ...
, ''Alectoris rufa'' *Genus ''
Ammoperdix ''Ammoperdix'' is a small genus in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes. It contains two similar species: * See-see partridge, ''Ammoperdix griseogularis'' * Sand partridge, ''Ammoperdix heyi'' The see-see partridge occur ...
'' ** See-see partridge, ''Ammoperdix griseogularis'' ** Sand partridge, ''Ammoperdix heyi'' *Genus ''
Perdix ''Perdix'' is a genus of Galliform gamebirds known collectively as the 'true partridges'. These birds are unrelated to the subtropical species that have been named after the partridge due to similar size and morphology. Taxonomy The genus ''Pe ...
'' ** Grey partridge, ''Perdix perdix'' ** Daurian partridge, ''Perdix dauurica'' **
Tibetan partridge The Tibetan partridge (''Perdix hodgsoniae'') is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes. They are found widely across the Tibetan Plateau and have some variations in plumage across populations. They forage on the g ...
, ''Perdix hodgsoniae'' *Genus ''
Rhizothera ''Rhizothera'' is a bird genus in the family Phasianidae, native to Malaysia and Indonesia. They are the only genus in the tribe Rhizotherini. Established by George Robert Gray in 1841, it contains the following species: * Long-billed partridge ...
'' **
Long-billed partridge The long-billed partridge (''Rhizothera longirostris'') is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. Distribution and habitat It is found in the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, ...
, ''Rhizothera longirostris'' **
Dulit partridge The Dulit partridge (''Rhizothera dulitensis''), also known as Hose's partridge, has been considered a distinctive subspecies of the long-billed partridge, a bird in the Phasianidae, or pheasant, family. It is endemic to Borneo, where it appear ...
, ''Rhizothera dulitensis'' *Genus '' Margaroperdix'' ** Madagascar partridge, ''Margaroperdix madagascarensis'' *Genus '' Melanoperdix'' **
Black wood-partridge The black partridge (''Melanoperdix niger''), also known as the black wood partridge, is a small (up to 27 cm long) partridge with a thick bill, grey legs and dark brown iris. It is the only member of the monotypic genus ''Melanoperdix''. ...
, ''Melanoperdix nigra'' *Genus '' Xenoperdix'' **
Rubeho forest partridge The Rubeho forest partridge (''Xenoperdix obscuratus'') is a small, approximately long, boldly barred, brownish partridge with rufous face, grey underparts, and olive-brown crown and upperparts. It has a red bill, brown iris, and yellow legs. Bo ...
, ''Xenoperdix obscuratus'' **
Udzungwa forest partridge The Udzungwa forest partridge (''Xenoperdix udzungwensis''), also known as the Udzungwa partridge, is a small, approximately long, boldly barred, brownish partridge with rufous face, grey underparts, olive-brown crown and upperparts. It has a red ...
, ''Xenoperdix udzungwensis'' *Genus '' Arborophila'', the hill partridges ** Hill partridge, ''Arborophila torqueola'' **
Sichuan partridge The Sichuan partridge (''Arborophila rufipectus'') is a bird species in the family Phasianidae. It is found only in China where it is classified as a nationally protected animal. Its natural habitat is temperate forest. It is threatened by habit ...
, ''Arborophila rufipectus'' **
Chestnut-breasted partridge The chestnut-breasted partridge (''Arborophila mandellii'') is a partridge species endemic to the eastern Himalayas north of the Brahmaputra, and occurs in Bhutan, Darjeeling, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and south-eastern Tibet at elevations from . ...
, ''Arborophila mandellii'' **
White-necklaced partridge The white-necklaced partridge (''Arborophila gingica''), also known as the collared partridge or Rickett's hill-partridge, is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It is endemic to southeastern China. It is threatened by habitat loss and h ...
, ''Arborophila gingica'' ** Rufous-throated partridge, ''Arborophila rufogularis'' **
White-cheeked partridge The white-cheeked partridge (''Arborophila atrogularis'') is a species of partridge in the family Phasianidae, native to Asia. Distribution and habitat It is found mainly in Northeast India, northern Myanmar, and northeast Bangladesh, inhabiting ...
, ''Arborophila atrogularis'' ** Taiwan partridge, ''Arborophila crudigularis'' ** Hainan partridge, ''Arborophila ardens'' **
Chestnut-bellied partridge The chestnut-bellied partridge (''Arborophila javanica'') also known as chestnut-bellied hill-partridge or Javan hill-partridge is a small, up to 28 cm long, partridge with a rufous crown and nape, red legs, grey breast, brown wings, red faci ...
, ''Arborophila javanica'' **
Grey-breasted partridge The grey-breasted partridge (''Arborophila orientalis''), also known as the white-faced hill partridge, or Horsfield's hill partridge, is a bird species in the family Phasianidae. It is endemic to highland forest in the eastern salient of Java, ...
, ''Arborophila orientalis'' **
Bar-backed partridge The bar-backed partridge (''Arborophila brunneopectus''), also known as the brown-breasted hill-partridge, is a species of partridge in the family Phasianidae. It is found in southwestern China and Southeast Asia. Taxonomy English zoologist Edwa ...
, ''Arborophila brunneopectus'' **
Orange-necked partridge The orange-necked partridge (''Arborophila davidi'') is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It is found in eastern Cambodia and southern Vietnam. Its habitats are lowland forests, shrubland, and plantations. It was described in 1927 and ...
, ''Arborophila davidi'' **
Chestnut-headed partridge The chestnut-headed partridge (''Arborophila cambodiana'') is a bird species in the family Phasianidae. It is found in highland forest in Cambodia. Some taxonomists consider the Siamese partridge (''A. diversa'') conspecific. References Extern ...
, ''Arborophila cambodiana'' ** Red-breasted partridge, ''Arborophila hyperythra'' **
Red-billed partridge The red-billed partridge (''Arborophila rubrirostris'') is a bird species in the family Phasianidae. It is endemic to the Basiran highland forest in Sumatra, Indonesia. It is the only member of the genus ''Arborophila'' where the bill is comple ...
, ''Arborophila rubrirostris'' **
Sumatran partridge The Sumatran partridge, or Sumatran hill partridge, (''Arborophila sumatrana'') is a bird species in the family Phasianidae. It is found in highland forest in central Sumatra, Indonesia. It is sometimes treated as a subspecies In biologica ...
, ''Arborophila sumatrana'' *Genus ''
Tropicoperdix ''Tropicoperdix'' is a genus of two species of birds in the pheasant family, Phasianidae. Although formerly classified in the now-defunct subfamily Perdicinae, phylogenetic evidence supports them being a sister group to the tribe Polyplectronini ...
'' **
Scaly-breasted partridge The green-legged partridge (''Tropicoperdix chloropus''), also known as the scaly-breasted partridge or green-legged hill-partridge, is a bird species in the family Phasianidae. It is found in forest in Indochina, ranging slightly into southern ...
, ''Tropicoperdix chloropus'' ** Chestnut-necklaced partridge, ''Tropicoperdix charltonii'' *Genus '' Caloperdix'' **
Ferruginous partridge The ferruginous partridge (''Caloperdix oculeus'') is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It belongs to the monotypical genus ''Caloperdix''. It is found in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand. Taxonomy The ferruginous partridg ...
, ''Caloperdix oculea'' *Genus '' Haematortyx'' **
Crimson-headed partridge The crimson-headed partridge (''Haematortyx sanguiniceps'') is a species of bird in the pheasant, partridge, and francolin family Phasianidae. Described by the British ornithologist Richard Bowdler Sharpe in 1879, it is the only species in the ...
, ''Haematortyx sanguiniceps'' *Genus '' Rollulus'' **
Crested partridge The crested partridge (''Rollulus rouloul'') also known as the crested wood partridge, roul-roul, red-crowned wood partridge, green wood quail or green wood partridge is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, ga ...
, ''Rollulus roulroul'' *Genus '' Bambusicola'' ** Mountain bamboo partridge, ''Bambusicola fytchii'' **
Chinese bamboo partridge The Chinese bamboo partridge (''Bambusicola thoracicus'') is a small Galliform bird. It is one of three species in the genus ''Bambusicola'', along with the mountain bamboo partridge of the Himalayas, and the Taiwan bamboo partridge of Taiwan. Ch ...
, ''Bambusicola thoracica''


See also

* Dick Potts, English ecologist and specialist in the grey partridge.


References


External links


Videos, photos and sounds
- Internet Bird Collection {{Authority control * Bird common names