Common Present
a million voices for nature
Distribution map showing the relative abundance of grey partiidges in Britain and lreland 1988-91 -- - -
The grey partridge has a brick-red face, as opposed to the black-and-white face pattern on the red-legged partridge.
The grey partridge can be found in most farming systems, except predominantly improved grasslands. The UK grey partridge population fel1 by 89% between 1970 and 2007. This has been caused mainly by the loss of insect food sources on farmland. The loss of seed sources, loss of nesting habitat and predation have albo contributed.
NesMng h a b i t Grey partridges nest on the ground i n hedge bottoms, grass margins, beetle banks, cereals, wild bird cover and nettle beds. Dead tussocky grass left over from the previous year is particularly attractive as nesting cover.
Summer food Grey partridge chicks feed on insects, especially caterpillars, ' beetles, bugs, ants and aphids. More chicks fledge when there is plenty of this food available. Chicks take insects mainly frorn within the crop, especially the headlands.
Winter food and cover Adult grey partridges feed mainly o n seeds and shoots throughout the year. Places where they can find such food include weedy winter stubbles and wild bird cover crops.They also require cover t o conceal them from predators, especially in early spring.
ANNUAL LIFISCVCLB OP A GREY MRTRIDGI
Coveys break up and territoria1pairs neect winte cover with plenty of seed food.
Main breeding season. They most often nest in rough grass margins of arable crops. Chicks feed on irismts, largely within the
I Coveys seek cover with plenty of seed food, such as wild bird seed mixtures or tal1 weedy stubbles.
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r PRIORITY ACTION
The grey partridge is a target species for Higher Level Stewardship.
Avoid planting trees and do not increase the height of hedgerows above 2 metres in areas used by nesting partridges.
mCreate tussocky grass buffer strips and field corners around arable fields, especially fields with open boundaries, ditches or short hedges. Avoid cutting al1 margins in the same year.
m
Create beetle banks through the middle of arable fields larger than 16 hectares.
partridges are still present, maintain o increase areas of arable cropping.
Create brood-rearing habitat with plenty of insect food adjacent to good nesting habitat.
mixture of cerealandat least two other crops can be established (minimum 6 metres wide) as a brood-rearing cover using the wild bird seed mixture options.
mUndersown spring cereals can boost insect numbers on mixed farms.
Keep some tal1 cover (>20 cm) at al1 times, especially in February and March, close to or as part of suitable feeding areas, in order to reduce predation, eg wild bird seed mixtures, unharvested conservation headlands or tal1 over-wintered stu bbles.
Ensure that the farm provides nesting habitat, summer food and winter food. Create brood-rearing habitat with plenty af insect foud wijacei-tt to gaad nesiing areas, Provide seed food through the winter ~ 4 t h wild bird seed mixtures or over-wintered stubble.
Create areas of wild bird seed mixture in the spring with a high proportion of cereal in the mix. Kale left for a second year is good. Renew half the crops each year, to provide some cover in early spring
Get invoived by joiningfhe Game and Wildlife ConservationTrustls Partridge Count Scheme, and get the latest partridge management and conservation information (www.gwct.org.uk).
See also the RSPB advisory sheets on:
Try to avoid using broad-spectrum insecticides after 15 March. Adopt conservation headlands, unharvested conservation
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I through the winter and earty spring.
by .wintered stubble provide mor seed food for birds than conventional
provide more insects and seeds Unimproved grasslands can be particularly valuable. Minimise the
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= al1farms
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= arable and mixed farms
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Arable crops on livestock farms Beetle banks Buffer strips on cultivated land Buffer strips on grasland Conservation headlands Grazed pasture Hay and silage meadows Hedgerow management Low-input cereals Over-wintered stubble Wild bird seed mixtures
The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust also has factsheets on specific aspects of grey partridge conservation (www.gwct.org.uk)
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For answers to al1 of your farm wildlife enquiries, visit www.farmwildlife.info The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity: England and Wales no. 207076, Scotland no. SC037654 223-0862-10-11
You can get further information on this and other ways of managing your farm for wildlife from: Agricultural Adviser,The RSPB, UK Headquarters,The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL Tel: 01767 680551 www.rspb.org.uk1farming
Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, NAC, Stoneleigh, Kenilworth, Warwickshire
Game &Wildlife Conservation
www.fwag.0rg.u k
www.gwct.org.uk
For information on Environmental Stewardship in your area, and to find out how to apply, cal1 0300 060 0011 or visit www.naturalengland.org.uk/es