General
Gray Partridge: Gray-brown ground bird with rufous face and throat. Body complexly barred and streaked with red and white. Dark red belly patch. Female has white belly. Juvenile pale brown with darker streaks and spots.
Range and Habitat
Gray Partridge: Introduced from Europe to many parts of northern United States and southern Canada, favors open farmlands and grassy fields.
Breeding and Nesting
Gray Partridge: Five to twenty white or olive eggs are laid in a simple scrape on the ground with few dry plant materials added. Female incubates the eggs for 21 to 26 days. Chicks leave nest within one day of hatching and are tended by both parents.
Foraging and Feeding
Gray Partridge: Forages primarily at dawn and dusk, feeding on the seeds of grasses and other plants.
Vocalization
Gray Partridge: Hoarse "kee-ah."
Similar Species
Gray Partridge: Chuckar is larger and has a reddish bill and legs.