What type of bird

[Joe662]

Hiya, saw these toda in a field. Just wondering what they are. Sorry in advance cos i already bet they are really common and should know what they are

[solus]

Red-legged Partridge. Commonly bred and released for shooting.

[Joe662]

Awww poor lil guy/gal is sooo cute

[SheffieldLass]

I like the picture of the one running. Unfortunately, around here they will run into the lane, so quite a lot sadly get squashed. I slow right down and enjoy watching their little legs going like pistons. They are cute. They are now safe from being shot for a few months, until Oct 1st. Just wish they had a bit more road sense. They could learn a bit from crows, who come in to eat up the remains ... crows know that cars are dangerous but predictable and always move away in time.

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by SheffieldLass

Just wish they had a bit more road sense. They could learn a bit from crows, who come in to eat up the remains ... crows know that cars are dangerous but predictable and always move away in time.

So do I! One ran straight into our car, I couldn't miss it. Not only did it kill the bird it damaged my car, smashing the front grill.

[Joe662]

Im from Devon, am in Norfolk for uni and never seen these down with us, presume they must be around tho

[Dogghound]

There tends to be the highest populations on arable farmland (around here), The species tends to do best of the drier east coast. In alot of ways shooting these is good as it takes pressure of the grey partridge.

[Cowgirl]

Originally Posted by glsammy

So do I! One ran straight into our car, I couldn't miss it. Not only did it kill the bird it damaged my car, smashing the front grill.

I know what you mean. I have had my share of dents. The worst ones are the ones that run in front of you, good you think, it's across ok, then for some bizarre reason turn around & run back across, bam!

A good tip, just before you get to it, pip your horn at them, it works for pheasants. Every day to get to work I used to have to drive down a 2 mile single track road with pheasant feeding stations dotted to either side. It was a regular death run (especially when the young ones were released) until someone gave me that tip. I scoffed, but it does actually work, you have to do it at the right moment tho, far enough away to give them a chance to take off but close enough that they perceive you as an immediate danger.

I once read it's something to do with their vision & the fact that the car is moving & they are moving so they don't actually perceive the movement of the car. Something like that anyway.

[Morph]

They must be high in the list of the birds with the worst thought through names, the plumage is quite distinctive yet the powers that be ended up picking a name that highlights the leg colour to name the poor things.

[Dogghound]

It can be very distinctive when you get a quick glimpse of them flying, when you flush them, to quickly seperate from grey partridge. I would assume this is where the name came from.