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PARTRIDGE
Similar in appearance to the Grouse, this compact, rounded bird is one of the most popular game birds, whether encountered on a rough day or on a formal driven partridge shoot. Both Grey partridges, our native species, and Red-legged partridges are reared and released throughout the lower ground of Scotland, and substantial numbers of these birds spread throughout the countryside, enhancing the biodiversity of our environment.
This is a bird of the lowlands, mainly found on arable and rough ground, and generally agreed to be one of the best birds for the table. Traditional driven partridge shooting on arable land is one of the most exciting forms of shooting - hedges are allowed to grow to around three times the normal height, and the guns are positioned only 30-40 metres back from the hedge. Birds are driven over the hedge in coveys, and their speed and manoeuverability are legendary!
Currently, due to temporary local reductions of grouse numbers in some areas, landowners are planting areas of game cover crops on suitable moorland, and releasing substantial numbers of partridges onto the hills. On shooting days, the birds are driven over the disused grouse butts, providing a very similar experience to grouse shooting.
On walked up or rough shooting days, there can be little to compete with the sudden excitement as a covey of these hard, fit little birds erupts in a whirr of wings from a little patch of cover, or even from a stubble field where they can lie unseen, and often disappear over the horizon before the Guns can react!
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