Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa): habitat and range

Fun facts

It eats seeds, grain and plants, supplemented with small invertebrates.
It lives on open, sunny, dry lowland farmland in western Europe.
It is at high risk of dying out in the wild across part of its range.

Life cycle and biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - pneumatised bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat and environment: Open, sunny, dry lowland farmland of western Europe, the Iberian Peninsula above all
Birth weight: Weight at hatching not found as a precise figure
Size at birth: Born precocial, able to move soon after hatching
Sexual maturity: 1 year (full breeding maturity at 2 years)
Gestation / incubation: 23-25 days (usual reference 23-24 days)
Litter / clutch size: 7 to 20 eggs per clutch (most commonly 10-16)

Sources consulted: ResearchGate (egg characteristics study); Wildlife Trusts; EBSCO Research Starters; Bird Hunting Spain; Animalia.bio; Oxford Academic Poultry Science (age laying performance study); BirdLife DataZone

Where to find it

Best time: All year round in Mediterranean farmland and scrub; in spring the males call from stone piles and field banks and are far more conspicuous.

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Where to see it

Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented — showing 10 of 53.

Related species

Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Red-legged Partridge — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.

Same taxonomic family

How to help

The red-legged partridge is classified as vulnerable. Organisations such as the IUCN, WWF and the Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programmes is a good starting point if you want to get involved.

It's documented in 10 protected areas — one reason why protecting these places matters for its conservation.

Red-legged Partridge