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: A non-native species in North America. Originally from Europe and Asia. Introduced to North America as a game bird, and is now found in British Columbia, and in parts of south central Canada. It is also found in the north central United States. Found in open areas, farmland, grasslands and brush.

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: Chukar is larger, has a buff face with long black eyestripe, and a reddish bill and legs.