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Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa) Alternate name(s): "French Partridge" German name(s): "Rothuhn" Size: 32-35 cm Body mass: 530 g (average)

Europe: Family Group 1 Family Group 1 Table Red-legged Partridge Barbary Partridge Grey Partridge Common Quail Common Pheasant Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Red-legged Partridges are roughly chicken-sized birds. Both sexes are identical. They have a mostly grey cap and white sides of the head that are dissected by black eye-stripes that bend around the ear coverts to form a semi-collar around the chin. Inside the black eye-stripes they have red orbital skin, which combines prominently with the red, down-curved bill. Behind the eyes, inside the black stripes, there is a small brown patch on either side of the head. The characteristic feature of Red-legged Partridges, apart from the colour of their legs and feet, is the neck with its black and grey checkered pattern. Below this a chest band connects to the back, all of which are brownish-grey. Only the outer tail feathers are brown. The underparts, from the belly to the undertail, are rufous, with boldly barred brown/cream/dark-grey flanks. Note that these bars are part of the body plumage, not the wings. The irises are brown. The bill is bright-red; the legs and feet are pinkish-red.

Taxonomy, classification See Red-legged Partridge at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Red-legged Partridge is available HERE . The range of the Red-legged Partridge is restricted to south-western to southern Europe and western Europe. They are sedentary throughout their range. There are 3 extant races. Nominate race "rufa" populates large parts of France, the (near-)coastal fringe of north-western Italy, Elba and Corsica. Race "hispanica" exists in northern and western Iberia, while race "intercedens" is found in southern and eastern Iberia and on the Balearic islands. The resident population in Britain is introduced. Red-legged Partridges are adapted to life in a variety of habitats, with a preference for lowland areas with at least partial cover provided by low plant growth (grass, shrubs, reeds, crops).

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "hispanica" J. Pires reports finding Red-legged Partridges, race "hispanica", occasionally near Mora, Evora, and in other locations in southern Portugal. J. Pires also spotted Red-legged Partridges, race "hispanica", at Soto de las Juntas, Madrid, Spain, in December 2019. M. Eaton reports spotting Red-legged Partridges, race "hispanica", in Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, in September 2019.

Photos

Race "hispanica"

ADULT

MALE

Near-lateral view of a male(?) Red-legged Partridge issuing its call (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2022]

Sex unknown

Near-lateral view of a Red-legged Partridge (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Obidos, Leiria, Portugal, February 2019]

Lateral view of a Red-legged Partridge (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Castro Verde, Beja, Alentejo, Portugal, September 2020]

Lateral view of a Red-legged Partridge (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2013]

Lateral view of a Red-legged Partridge in an excited state, with its crest erected (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Obidos, Leiria, Portugal, February 2019]

Lateral view of two Red-legged Partridges crossing a road (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2014]

Lateral view of two Red-legged Partridges resting under a tree (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, February 2014]

Near-dorsal view of a Red-legged Partridge (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Monte do Espargueiro, Mourao, Alentejo, Portugal, December 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Red-legged Partridge (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2023]

Dorsal view of a Red-legged Partridge (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Malarranha, near Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2023]

Dorsal view of a Red-legged Partridge in an excited state, with its crest erected (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Obidos, Leiria, Portugal, February 2019]

Small covey of Red-legged Partridges (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, September 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Red-legged Partridge banking to land (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2022]

Dorsal view of a Red-legged Partridge in low flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2022]

Red-legged Partridges as game fowl

In England Red-legged Partridges were introduced as game fowl for hunting; the birds shown here were eaten as a delicacy (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Yorkshire Dales, England, September 2014]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Sedentary

Elementary unit: Covey

Near-dorsal view of two Red-legged Partridges running away from the observer (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2013]

Only when in a panic will Red-legged Partridges fly up to duck into cover (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2014]

Food, Diet

Near-dorsal view of a Red-legged Partridge foraging in a meadow (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Near Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2023]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

redpart_jp_20200314.m4a	(Portugal)	Song (male)	© JP
redpart_jp_20200329.m4a	(Portugal)	Song (male)	© JP
redpart_jp_20190614.m4a	(Portugal)	Song (male)	© JP

More Red-legged Partridge sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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