Grey Partridge Eggs Abound

As a keen birder, our Ranger Lloyd always has an eye out for who is flying through the sky or perching nearby. By observing a bird’s behaviour, he’s also sometimes able pick out the secretive location of ground nesting birds. So, when confronted with an especially noisy male Grey Partridge, Lloyd knew there were likely to be eggs nearby.  

Grey Partridge’s are on the Red List in terms of their UK Conservation Status – meaning they’re of highest concern. Both habitat loss and food availability have been significant causes of their decline, mostly caused by agricultural intensification. The chicks only eat insects (where as Red-legged Partridge chicks eat both insects and seeds). Since the Second World War we’ve vastly increased the amount of land under cultivation and developed an array of chemicals to use on crops. For Grey Partridges, as the number of wildflowers and arable weeds has declined, so has the number of available insects.  

We think there’s at least six Grey Partridge pairs across Boothby Wildland and we look forward to watching the population grow as more habitat and food becomes available for them. 

Photo caption: The female will only sit on her eggs once they’re all laid, and Grey Partridge’s have one the largest clutch sizes of up to 19 eggs at once!