Red-legged Partridge
Alectoris rufa
Distinctive gamebird of farmland, grassy fields, and open heathland. Seen mainly as pairs and small groups, often along the edges of fields. Plumage is ornate and handsome, with a red bill, white throat, black streaked necklace, boldly barred flanks, and buffy belly. Other similar species (such as Chukar) do not overlap in native range, but can escape from collections or be introduced for hunting; all lack the diagnostic black-streaked necklace of Red-legged. Song is a dry, rasping “wa-cha-cha-wa-cha-cha” or “wi’ch-ch’ch.”
Identification
Adult red-legged partridges are sandy-brown above, pinkish-buff on the belly, and pale grey on the breast, with a prominent gorget of black streaking, bold rufous and black flank-bars, a cream throat, pink legs, and a red bill and eye ring.<p>The crown and upper nape of adult red-legged partridge are a warm pinkish-brown; the fore crown and lateral edges of the crown are pale blue-grey, and the bird has a narrow off-white supercilium running from above the lores to the sides of the lower nape. The lores have a solid bar of black feathering above a patch of pinkish-red skin. This black colouration continues behind the eye, where it broadens, and then extends down around the throat-patch to meet the upper edge of the gorget. There is a patch of pale buff-brown feathering on the ear-coverts, adjoining the black. The eye is surrounded by a bright red eye-ring.<p>The chin and upper throat are creamy-white, and are bordered behind and below by a solid black gorget. The black colour continues down onto the lower throat as a patch of broad triangular black streaks on a pale sandy-grey background. Similar, but narrower, black streaks are present on a pale blue-grey background on the upper neck-sides, while the lower neck-sides are warm pinkish-brown. The breast is pale blue-grey, and the belly pinkish-buff. The flanks are marked with bold bright rufous-brown bars, typically between eight and ten; each bar has a narrow black leading edge, the background colour is off-white in front of each bar, and pale grey behind. The upper parts are plain, unmarked dark sandy-grey. The uppertail-coverts are similar in colour, and contrast with the pinkish-rufous tail-feathers.<p>The bill is bright red, the iris is medium brown, and the legs are pinkish-red.
Taxonomy
There are three recognized subspecies:
- Scientific name
- Alectoris rufa
- Authority
- (Linnaeus, 1758)
- Order
- Galliformes
- Family
- Phasianidae
- Genus
- Alectoris
Range and habitat
This partridge breeds naturally in southwestern Europe (France, Iberia and northwest Italy). It has become naturalised in flat areas of England and Wales, where it was introduced as a game species, and has been seen breeding as far north as Sutherland. It is replaced in southeastern Europe by the very similar rock partridge (Alectoris graeca). It is a non-migratory terrestrial species, which forms flocks outside the breeding season.<p>This species breeds on dry lowlands, such as farmland and open stony areas, laying its eggs in a ground nest. They have been known to cohabit with wild rabbits.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Spinus magellanicus
Strikingly beautiful siskin found in woodland and grassland with scattered trees and usually highly gregarious; also sometimes associates with mixed-species flocks. Males have a black hood, wings, and tail, and are olive-yellow above and bright yellow below with large yellow wing patches. Females are duller and lack the black hood. The song is a long series of fast and squeaky notes; sometimes many males sing together.
Sanderling
Calidris alba
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Hermit Wood-Wren
Henicorhina anachoreta
Small, short-tailed wren endemic to the Santa Marta Mountains of Colombia. It has a white eyebrow and streaky face, though plumage is almost identical to that of Gray-breasted Wood-Wren. It can be identified by its faster, squeakier, and higher-pitched song, and it generally occurs at higher elevations with little overlap. Usually found in pairs that stay low in cloud forest understory. Quite common in the upper parts of El Dorado Nature Reserve, but not found near the lodge.
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