Conserving the

grey partridge
A practical guide produced by

the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust

www.gwct.org.uk/partridge
The decline of a common farmland bird

The grey partridge originated as a grassland bird on the open, largely treeless,
steppe. It nests on the ground, hidden in thick grass, and after the eggs hatch
the hen partridge takes her brood of chicks to forage among the tall grasses or
cereals for caterpillars, beetles, plant bugs and aphids. As they mature these chicks
begin to feed, like their parents, on young shoots and seeds.
Its steppe origin has allowed the partridge to adapt easily to cereal farmland.
Thick vegetation at the base of a hedgerow makes an ideal nest site, and wheat
and barley crops provide perfect cover from predators while the young brood is
searching for insects.

Cereal fields are the primary habitat for the grey

partridge in Britain. Its future depends on farming.
(David Mason)

The life-cycle of the grey partridge. The main pairing and breeding seasons of the bird (orange) are
shown in relation to the growth of cereals (green) and the shooting season (red).

A once flourishing gamebird

WW1 WW2 We can never know how many partridges existed in medieval England or earlier,
10
but they were well distributed and in reasonable numbers. Farming was mixed
Bag per 100 hectares

8 and arable crops were full of insects and weeds. Nevertheless predatory birds and
6 mammals were common and partridge losses to these must have been high1.
4
In the 19th century, numbers of partridges dramatically increased following
the period of land enclosure – with the patchwork-quilt landscape and quick-set
2 hedges that we cherish today. After the agricultural revolution there was increased
0 interest in managing game for sport and, by 1911, there were about 25,000
1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 gamekeepers nationwide protecting gamebirds1. At this time we estimate from
bag data that there must have been more than a million pairs of grey partridges
The decline in numbers of partridges shot breeding in Britain1.
highlights the dramatic drop during the 1950s and In the 1950s a sharp decline in partridge numbers followed the introduction
the very low numbers at present. of herbicides into modern cereal-growing systems1,2,3. This was exacerbated by a
(Data from 12 English sporting estates from loss of hedgerows and the employment of fewer gamekeepers. In the early 1990s
the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust’s there were around 145,000 partridge pairs but on-going monitoring suggests that
National Gamebag Census) numbers have halved since then.
A safe place to nest - plenty of tussocky grass

By the end of February most pairs have formed and, when the weather is dry, the
pairs start prospecting for likely nest sites. They will pick their way around the bases
of hedgerows assessing the ground vegetation and cover. Nest sites tend to be
on free-draining soil on a slope preferably facing south and with shelter from the
prevailing wet weather4. Nests are a shallow scrape concealed in dense vegetation
such as rank tussocky grass, herbaceous perennials and the crops themselves4.

Good ground cover on the hedge bank is important The hedge, not strictly essential for partridge
for nesting partridges. It should be a mixture of nesting, does provide a wind break and
perennial herbs and tall tussock-forming grasses such habitat for many other farmland birds. Don’t
as cock’s-foot. Trim down this vegetation to stop scrub trim too often, but allow the natural berry
invading. Partridges need the old grass stems and dead crop to be eaten by wildlife over the winter.
leaves from the previous year for nest construction.
A beetle bank is a raised ridge across the middle
of an arable field and planted with tussock-forming The hedge is on a
Cereal crop, preferably spring- wide bank which is
grasses like cock’s-foot. Designed primarily as sown, with the margin managed perfect for partridges.
habitat for ground beetles, which help control aphid as a conservation headland or It enables them to
unharvested cereal headland to find well-drained and
numbers in the adjacent crop, they are also good provide an insect-rich foraging area sheltered nest sites.
gamebird nesting cover. (Peter Thompson) for broods in June.

A narrow cultivated
strip stops weed
invasion from the
hedge bank into
the crop and gives
a useful drying out
area for chicks.

The profile of an ideal partridge nesting hedge - note the raised bank which provides sheltered well-
drained nest sites hidden amongst dense ground cover.

DOS AND DON'TS FOR FARMERS

Construct beetle banks* across large arable fields to increase the amount
of nesting cover.

Manage the grass beside hedgerows so that there is always old dead
grass from the previous year available for nesting.

Keep the hedge trimmed (preferably after the berry crop has finished)
to under six foot in height to avoid them being used as look-out posts
by avian predators.

Partridges are vulnerable during nesting time so, as Make judicious use of field corners* to create grassy nesting cover next to
well as relying on good nesting cover, their breeding cereal crops with conservation headlands*, or unharvested cereal headland*.
success will be improved if numbers of carrion
crows and magpies, which steal eggs, and foxes, Never spray out fence-rows with herbicides. Fence-rows are the only
which kill the sitting hen, are reduced. Properly nesting habitats left in many areas.
used, the Larsen trap is a legal and effective way
of dealing with crows and magpies in the spring Don’t allow livestock – especially sheep – to graze out and damage the
and summer. (Stephen Tapper) base of hedges when adjacent fields are in grass. Some light grazing every
few years may be beneficial.
The Game & Wildlife Conservation
Trust's Advisory Service can help * Grant aid is available for these under Stewardship schemes.
design appropriate predation control
strategies - see back page.
Chick survival - insect food is crucial

During the first few days after hatching, partridge chicks need to feed on insects
to grow and feather-up quickly. Without this protein-rich diet the chicks become
stunted and die. Unfortunately insect numbers are much reduced in cereal
crops because herbicides and insecticides have broken the natural food chain.
Agricultural pesticides rarely poison the birds directly.
Since the early 1980s the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust has developed
techniques to help put the insects back into cereal crops and increase chick
survival in ways that are compatible with modern agriculture5,6.

The chick food chain. Weeds in cereal crops

are the food for caterpillars, beetles and bugs,
which partridge chicks need for healthy growth.
Herbicides and insecticides break this food chain.

Advisors of the Game & Wildlife

Conservation Trust can give detailed
agronomic guidance on managing
conservation headlands. Telephone:
01425 651013.

A conservation headland. Annual weeds have been allowed to develop in the crop edge to provide the
food base for the insect fauna on which partridge chicks depend. (Peter Thompson)

DOS AND DON’TS FOR FARMERS

Use conservation headlands* along the edges of cereal crops. The key
features are:

Herbicides and summer insecticides are not applied on cereal

crops along a six- to 24-metre strip along the field margin.

Fungicides can be applied as normal.

Some selective autumn herbicides and grass weed-killers can be

applied to combat cleavers, black grass and other noxious weeds.

Place conservation headlands next to good nesting cover, for chicks to

forage in.

Leave some bare soil between the hedge bank and the crops. It prevents
weed infestation of the crop and provides a drying-out/dusting area for
partridge broods.

Don’t apply summer insecticides to cereals unless there is no other

choice. The deleterious effects of a large-scale application can last for
several years. If treatment is necessary, use a selective product such as
pirimicarb, or leave the outer 12 metres unsprayed.
Sawfly larvae - green caterpillars - are the ideal
chick food and are most abundant in mid-June * Grant aid is available for these under some Stewardship schemes.
when partridges hatch. (Nicholas Aebischer)
Surviving winter and spring - food and cover

Modern farmland is a hungry place for birds. The combine harvester leaves
little spilt grain for seed-eaters and early cultivation for winter crops means
that the rest of the grain, along with any weed seeds, is quickly buried. Further,
many farms are now specialised arable enterprises and partridge coveys have
lost the opportunity to share food provided for livestock wintering outdoors.
Nevertheless, the young shoots of winter corn are themselves a source of food.
Much modern farmland is not only hungry, it is bare too. Partridges need
some cover, not only as shelter from the worst of the winter rain and gales, but
also to hide from predators.

This strip of kale mixture, in its first season, has

been planted under the Stewardship schemes. It
makes ideal cover for partridges in winter.
(Peter Thompson)

A partridge pair in a field of winter corn. Provided with food and cover partridges can withstand
the cold - they survive very well, for example, on the Russian steppe and Canadian prairies where
temperatures are extreme. The characteristic cross-barring on the scapular feathers of the hen can be
seen on the bird in the foreground. (Chris Knights)

DOS AND DON’TS FOR FARMERS

Plant seed-bearing game crops* such as kale or quinoa and cereal in
open areas where partridges are likely to be and not close to woodland.

Leave stubbles as long as possible before ploughing*. Stubbles following

an undersown crop are particularly valuable because they remain
uncultivated through the spring within the ley.

Put out bird feeders designed for partridges in places where

there is nesting cover and overhead cover to hide from predators.
Supplementary feeding is now funded under the Stewardship scheme*.

Use the Stewardship schemes* to provide food with a kale-quinoa

mixture left for two years. In winter and spring this provides food and
protection from predators.
A partridge feeder filled with wheat is used to
supply food during the winter and spring (until Don’t spray stubbles indiscriminately, but consider selective herbicides that
the end of May). The hopper is placed inside a will knock out noxious weeds while leaving the others as partridge food.
wire mesh surround to prevent badgers and deer
from accessing the grain and also to help prevent Avoid planting new woodland in open areas suitable for grey partridges.
sparrowhawk attacks. The feeder should be sited
on open ground well away from woods and trees, * Grant aid is available for these under Stewardship schemes.
but close to good nesting and protective cover.
Conservation targets - Partridge Count Scheme

“EVERY ONE COUNTS”

JOIN THE PARTRIDGE COUNT SCHEME

As part of its role in UK grey
partridge conservation, the Game &
Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT)
runs the Partridge Count Scheme as a
means of offering management advice
and feedback to farmers, landowners,
and shoot managers on the basis
of their spring and autumn counts. Partridge habitat in Britain. The yellow is optimum habitat for grey partridges with a high proportion
These counts are essential to monitor of arable farmland. Green is less optimal ground where livestock rearing out-weighs arable farming
recovery and judge the success of in importance. Grey areas are unsuited to grey partridges for a variety of reasons. (From CEH Land
habitat improvement. Cover and OS Geographic Reference maps)
For further information and to join
this free scheme, please visit
www.gwct.org.uk/partridge or contact The grey partridge was in the first group of species to be given priority under the
The Partridge Count Co-ordinator on Government’s 1995 Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP). The plan aimed to stabilise
01425 652381. grey partridge numbers by 2005 and ensure that the breeding population was
above 90,000 pairs by 2010. Sadly, despite changes in agricultural subsidies and
improved agri-environment schemes, it is now clear that nationally, the species
continues to decline. Nevertheless, there are many local successes and numbers
of grey partridge pairs on sites belonging to the GWCT Partridge Count Scheme
(see box left) have increased by 81% between 2000 and 2010.
Our analysis (see map above) suggests that if partridges were distributed at
even modest densities across the existing farmland, there is adequate land available
for over 200,000 pairs if all necessary habitats were present.
Within the Partridge Count Scheme, regular meetings of the 15 regional grey
partridge groups help to explain face-to-face how to manage land effectively for grey
Counting grey partridges in late summer to partridges. Factsheets on habitat creation, management and predation control are
assess breeding success. (Stephen Tapper) also available for download from www.gwct.org.uk/gpdownloads. Measures taken to
improve grey partridges will improve the numbers of other species of farmland bird.
Grey partridges and shooting

The grey partridge is no longer the prolific gamebird it once was. In most districts it is
now either absent or uncommon. In these circumstances partridges should not be shot.
The only exception is where careful management has produced a shootable surplus.
Some properties still produce these surpluses in good breeding years and, provided
not more than 30% of the autumn population is shot, the harvest is sustainable.
Unless carefully managed, the shooting of released red-legged partridges can
have a devastating effect on wild greys at a low density because of the risk of
over-shooting. Precautions must be taken to avoid this.

SIX GOLDEN RULES FOR GAME SHOOTERS

1 Do not shoot wild grey partridges if you have fewer than 20 birds per
250 acres (100 hectares) in the autumn. Below this level the population
has little ability to compensate for shooting losses.

2 Stop shooting wild grey partridges as soon as the threshold of 20 birds

per 250 acres (100 hectares) is reached, for the same reason.

Shoot grey partridges only when you know that 3 Avoid shooting grey partridges after the end of December. Birds pair up
there are over 20 birds per 250 acres in the in the new year and shooting at this time reduces the breeding stock.
autumn. Stop as soon as this threshold is reached.
(Andy Hook) 4 Never shoot at grey partridges that are in pairs.

5 With driven redleg or pheasant shooting, take special precautions to

ensure that wild greys are not shot at the same time.

Warn the guns if grey partridges are likely to be on the drive.

Tell the guns to watch out for higher birds in tight coveys that
might be greys. Tell them, if in doubt, not to shoot. Perhaps fine
them if they shoot greys!

Arrange a system of whistles for beaters to warn guns that greys

have been flushed - their distinctive call also helps to identify them.
Have observers in the line of guns to do the same.

6 DO NOT SHOOT GREY PARTRIDGES AT ALL UNLESS YOU ALSO

TAKE STEPS TO CONSERVE THEM.

Partridge management for shooting

Knowing the number of partridges on the ground is the minimum requirement
for shooting.
The autumn count is carried out immediately after harvest by driving
across stubbles in the early morning or late evening and recording the size
of all coveys encountered. Refinements are to age and sex the birds, and to
count the pairs in spring.
Unmanaged land should hold on average 4.5 breeding pairs on 250 acres
(100 hectares). With annual losses of 55%, this implies that 20 birds per 250
acres are required in the autumn just to maintain numbers. At lower densities
shooting should not take place.
Restocking with grey partridges reared on a game farm almost always fails as
Redleg partridges like these have become popular a means of restoring stocks. Most, if not all, are killed by predators within a few
to rear for shooting. Provided precautions are taken weeks of release. Essential components of conserving wild partridge stocks are
to avoid shooting wild grey partridges on driven habitat management and legal predation control. We have produced separate
redleg days, redlegs will do no harm to the native guidelines for restocking grey partridges to establish a wild breeding population
species. (David Mason) once again8.
Common questions; References

This initiative is FOUR COMMON QUESTIONS:

supported by the Q: If partridges are scarce why not protect them? A: It is a fact that
Farmland Bird partridges are most abundant in the places where they are conserved for
Species Action shooting. This is not because shooters go to where they are most common,
Plan Steering but because on these places partridges are managed carefully so that they
Group which breed and survive better than elsewhere, giving more partridges because of,
includes, as well not despite, shooting.
as the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust:
Q: Sparrowhawks seem to be killing small birds of all kinds - are they to
British Trust for Ornithology blame? A: Certainly where partridges are scarce and sparrowhawks are in
Countryside Council for Wales good numbers, predation by birds of prey could be a limiting factor and this
Defra is the subject of current research. However, under the pre-1960s traditional
Natural England farming methods, both birds were common. Partridges declined most
Joint Nature Conservation Committee severely in the 1960s and 1970s, when sparrowhawks themselves were
Northern Ireland Executive almost wiped out by organo-chlorine pesticides.
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Scottish Executive Q: Surely what we want is more gamekeepers keeping foxes and crows in
Scottish Natural Heritage check? A: Foxes and crows undoubtedly suppress partridge numbers and
Syngenta we have proved that effective predation control by a gamekeeper can easily
treble partridge numbers in a few years7. So, having more gamekeepers
reducing foxes and crows will help. However, with adequate nesting and
winter cover, as well as sympathetic farming systems which improve chick
survival, a partridge stock should maintain itself, albeit at a low density, even
in the presence of predators.

Q: Why can’t we solve the problem by releasing game farm birds?

Fordingbridge, Hampshire, SP6 1EF A: For two reasons. First, the partridge has declined primarily because arable
Tel: 01425 652381 land has become inhospitable through agricultural intensification, so restoring
Email: [email protected] the habitat should always be the priority. Second, hand-reared partridges do
not behave naturally in the wild and are very vulnerable to predators. Even
www.gwct.org.uk/partridge those that do survive usually fail to breed in subsequent years8.

Front cover picture: David Mason References:

Design and layout: Sophia Miles/Louise Shervington 1 Potts, GR (1986). The Partridge. Pesticides, Predation and Conservation.
© Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, 2001, Collins, London. 274 pages.
revised 2009, January 2013. (Formerly The 2 Tapper, SC (1992). Game Heritage. The Game Conservancy Trust,
Game Conservancy Trust.) Registered Charity No. Fordingbridge, Hampshire. 140 pages.
1112023. No reproduction without permission.
3 Aebischer, NJ & Ewald, JA (2010). Grey partridge Perdix perdix in the UK:
All rights reserved. Printed on FSC accredited,
recovery status, set-aside and shooting. Ibis, 152: 530-542.
chlorine-free paper from sustainable forests.
4 Rands, MRW (1986). Effect of hedgerow characteristics on partridge breeding
densities. Journal of Applied Ecology, 23, 479-487.
5 Rands, MRW (1985). Pesticide use on cereals and the survival of grey partridge
chicks: A field experiment. Journal of Applied Ecology, 22, 49-54.
6 Sotherton, NWS (1991). Conservation headlands: a practical combination of
intensive cereal farming and conservation. In: Ecology of Temperate Cereal Fields.
Eds. LG Firbank, N Carter, JF Darbyshire, & GR Potts.
The Trust’s Advisory Service gives Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, 373-397.
professional advice, tailor-made to
your situation, on all aspects of game 7 Tapper, SC, Potts, GR, Brockless, M (1996). The effects of an experimental
reduction in predation pressure on the breeding success and population density
management including black grouse.
of grey partridges (Perdix perdix). Journal of Applied Ecology, 33, 965-78.
For more information, please contact: 8 Buner, F, Aebischer NJ (2008). Guidelines for re-establishing grey partridges
01425 651013. through releasing. Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, Fordingbridge.