A partridge is a plump, medium-sized bird with mottled brown and gray feathers that help it blend into grasslands, farmlands, and scrubby hillsides. Partridges spend most of their time on the ground, scratching for seeds, insects, and berries. When startled, they explode into flight with a loud whirring of wings, but they prefer to run and hide rather than fly long distances.

You've probably heard of partridges from the Christmas carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” which begins with “a partridge in a pear tree.” That particular partridge is a bit unusual since real partridges rarely perch in trees. The song likely refers to the red-legged partridge, a species common in Europe.

Partridges have been hunted as game birds for thousands of years. In ancient Greece, they appeared in fables and stories. Today, some species like the gray partridge live wild across Europe and Asia, while others, like the chukar partridge, have been introduced to North America for hunting. If you've ever walked through tall grass in farm country and suddenly heard a loud flutter as a hidden bird bursts into the air, you might have startled a partridge from its hiding spot.