- Alectoris graeca
Includes: Sicilian Rock Partridge
Identification
32–37 cm (12½-14½ in)
- Rotund
- Light brown back
- Grey breast
- Buff belly
- White face with black gorget
- Rufous-streaked flanks
- Red legs
Similar Species
Distribution
Endemic to southeastern Europe; replaced further east by Chukar Partridge, and west by Red-legged Partridge.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Four subspecies are accepted[2]:
- A. g. saxatilis - Alps, from France to western Croatia
- A. g. graeca - Serbia and Albania to Greece and Bulgaria
- A. g. orlandoi - Italy
- A. g. whitakeri - Sicily (sometimes regarded as a separate species[1])
Subspecies orlandoi is not accepted by all authorities[3].
Habitat
Rocky mountain and hill sides with short grass, sparse shrubs and trees.
Behaviour
Breeding
They nest in a scantily lined ground scrape laying 5-21 eggs.
Diet
They have a mainly vegetarian diet which consists of a wide variety of seeds, fruits and other plant matter. The also eat some insects.
References
- Corso, A. (2010). Sicilian Rock Partridge: identification and taxonomy. Dutch Birding 32(2): 79-96.
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Avibase
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved October 2016)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Rock Partridge. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 22 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Rock_Partridge
