So I was thinking which animal to do for this Christmas Crier addition. Of course I’ve done Robins in the past as they are so often associated with this time of year. With their cherry red breasts, hopping about in the snow, you can see why. But I didn’t want to pick something cliche.
So I give you the humble Partridge as my offering for this month. After all “A partridge in
a pear tree” is of course one of the offerings in “The 12 days of Christmas” song. I actually think they are a rather undervalued bird and appear to me, to have very character full personalities as they run about our fields and over the roads in their little
families, with all the grace of a drunken Father Christmas.
Partridge used to play a very important role in historic feasts and was often one of the meats used in Tudor meat pies served to the Tudor royals. Poorer Victorians also used to have Partridge at Christmas as they could not afford goose or turkey and Partridge was readily available to hunt in the countryside. Red-legged partridges are most numerous in England, especially in the east where we are, with some birds in the Welsh borders and in eastern Scotland too. They are usually seen in groups in open fields or busily scaring the day lights out of us humans as they run across in front of the car and
then decide to turn back once their half way across the road. Rather manic and hysteric looking birds but also very endearing and silly…perhaps you just either love them or hate them?
They have rather plump chicken like bodies with a small head so that they are able to run away from predators. Their life span is surprisingly short at an average of two to three years. But to make up for this high mortality rate, they reproduce at high volumes with large clutches of eggs. They will search for food on the ground but if threatened will fly away in their flocks. However they are not strong flyers and cannot fly for any prolonged duration of time. They are social birds and tend to stay as large groups made up of two parent and the chicks. When the young have reached maturity, they will leave to make their own conveys.
There are over 40 different species of Partridge worldwide but in England the red legged
partridge and the Grey Partridge also known as the English Partridge are the most common. They are a seed-eating species, but the young in particular take insects as an essential protein supply. During the first 10 days of life, the young can only digest insects. A female partridge can lay up to twenty eggs in one ground nest, however it is rare for so many to survive to adulthood. Whilst we think of these birds
as plentiful- they sadly like so many of our wonderful wildlife are now declining.
The Grey Partridge is vulnerable to predators at all stages of its life cycle. During the breeding season, unattended eggs can be taken by corvids, rats, hedgehogs, cats and wild boar. The eggs and incubating female are also at risk from larger predators such as foxes and badgers.
Fledged young and adult birds can be taken mainly by foxes, hawks, harriers or buzzards. For protection against predators, the Partridge relies on its cryptic plumage, vigilance by living in family groups or coveys as they are known) and availability of vegetation as cover in which to hide. This can be a particular problem in modern agricultural landscapes, especially after harvest, when very little cover may remain, and in snow. Though common and not threatened, the partridge in general appears to be declining in numbers in some areas of intensive cultivation in England. This is probably due to a loss of breeding habitat and insecticides harming insect numbers, an important food source for the species. Their numbers have fallen in certain areas of Britain by as much as 85% in the last 25 years. Efforts are being made in Great
Britain by organizations such as the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust to halt this decline by creating conservation headlands.
So next time you see a group of manic partridges running in front of your car, rather than curse at them, just be grateful that we have them at all. As like every creature in our countryside, they all play a vital role in the natural ecological balance. And if one disappears, another will soon follow until the balance can no longer be maintained.
