The Daurian Partridges Perdix dauurica breeds on farmland across much of temperate eastern Asia from Kyrgyzstan east to China and Mongolia. It is a non-migratory terrestrial species, which forms flocks outside the breeding season.
In parts of its range, it overlaps with the very similar and closely related Grey Partridge, with which it forms a superspecies. Daurian Partridge is not globally threatened but may be overhunted in parts of its range.
Daurian Partridge is a bird of open country, ideally with some adjacent bushes or light woodland. The nest is a lined depression in or near cover, and the typical clutch is 18-20 eggs.
When disturbed, like most of the gamebirds, it flies a short distance on rounded wings, often calling rick rick rick as it rises.
Description:
It is a rotund bird, 28-30 cm long, brown-backed, with an orange face and an orange bristly “beard” in the breeding season. The rest of the head and the underparts are grey with a buff central chest and a black belly patch. The female has a smaller belly patch and is duller than the male. Young Daurian Partridges are essentially grey-brown and lack the distinctive face and underpart markings. The song is a harse kieerr-ik.
There are three subspecies differing mainly in the plumage becoming darker and more rufous further east.
Diet:
This is a seed-eating species, but the young in particular take insects as an essential protein supply.
