Grey Partridge vs Crested Partridge
Perdix perdix compared with Rollulus rouloul
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Grey Partridge | Crested Partridge |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Perdix perdix | Rollulus rouloul |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 30.2 cm (11.9 in) | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) |
| Weight | 402.0 g (14.18 oz) | 250.5 g (8.84 oz) |
| Diet | Eats seeds, leaves, and shoots of grasses and cereals; chicks rely heavily on insects and … | Forages on floor of Southeast Asian lowland rainforests for seeds, fallen fruits, and invertebrates. Scratches … |
| Clutch Size | 2-24 | 4-6 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Grey Partridge
Harsh, grating 'kier-rr-ik' call; rusty hinge-like quality audible across farmland. Alarm is a cackling 'kee-kee-kee' when flushed. Male territorial call repeated at dusk and dawn across fields.
Crested Partridge
High-pitched, thin whistled 'seee' repeated persistently; metallic and insect-like. Males call from forest floor, rarely seen. Alarm is an explosive low grunt followed by rapid wing beats.
Geographic Range & Migration
Grey Partridge
Native to farmland, hedgerows, and open grassland from Britain east through Europe to Kazakhstan; widely introduced in North America and elsewhere.
Crested Partridge
Resident in lowland and foothill rainforest of Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo. Found below 1,500 m.
Conservation Status
Grey Partridge
Crested Partridge
How to Tell Them Apart
Grey Partridge
Grey-brown upperparts intricately vermiculated; orange-buff face and throat; grey breast; conspicuous dark chestnut horseshoe mark on lower breast of male; flanks barred chestnut and white. Sexes similar.
Crested Partridge
Male is dark glossy green-black with vivid red-crimson erectile crest; red orbital skin; chestnut wings. Female is entirely bright emerald green with brown wings, red legs, and grey head; among …
About These Birds
Grey Partridge
A familiar Phasianidae partridge (~402 g) of European farmland and steppe, recognizable by an orange face and chestnut horseshoe patch on the belly of males. Lives in family coveys; feeds on seeds, cereal grain, and invertebrates. Declining in intensively farmed areas; Least Concern overall.
Crested Partridge
A small partridge (~250 g) of family Phasianidae, males with vivid crimson crest and iridescent green plumage. Found in lowland tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia including Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo. Forages on the forest floor for fallen seeds, fruits, and invertebrates. Vulnerable; dependent on primary lowland forest, heavily impacted by deforestation and palm oil expansion.