Grey Partridge - Perdix perdix

A medium-sized, plump game bird with a distinctive orange face and a chestnut horseshoe mark on the breast of the male. It flies with whirring wings and occasional glides, showing a chestnut tail. It is strictly a ground bird.

Found in lowland arable areas.

All year round

Lays about 13 to 16 eggs in late April or May, usually at the edge of cereal fields. Incubation period is 23 to 25 days. Fledging after 14 to 16 days and breeding in their first year. 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.

Once very common and widespread, it has undergone serious declines throughout most of its range and is a Red List species.

It is now uncommon in Leicestershire and Rutland..