Bird Guide

Grey Partridge vs Ruffed Grouse

Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix)

Grey Partridge

Perdix perdix

Large405 gGrassland

The grey partridge is a rotund bird, brown-backed, with grey flanks and chest. The belly is white, usually marked with a large chestnut-brown horse-shoe mark in males, and also in many females. Hens lay up to twenty eggs in a ground nest. The nest is usually in the margin of a cereal field, most commonly winter wheat. Measurements: Length: 29–31 cm (11–12 in) Wingspan: 45–48 cm (18–19 in) Weight (P. p. perdix): 320–455 g (11.3–16.0 oz) Weight (P. p.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Grey Partridge
Recorded by Linus Lindkvist · Call · Stakagården, Tranemo Municipality, Västra Götalands län, Sweden · CC0
Photo: TRinaud · CC BY 4.0
Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus)

Ruffed Grouse

Bonasa umbellus

Large531 gShrubland

Ruffed grouse are chunky, medium-sized birds that weigh from 450–750 g (0.99–1.65 lb), measure from 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20 in) in length, and span 50–64 cm (20–25 in) across their short, strong wings. They have two distinct morphs - grey and brown. In the grey morph, the head, neck, and back are grey-brown; the breast is light with barring, with as much white on the underside and flanks. Overall, the birds have a variegated appearance; the throat is often distinctly lighter. The tail is essentially the same brownish grey, with regular barring and a broad black band near the end ("subterminal").

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Ruffed Grouse
Recorded by Jonathon Jongsma · Drumming · Lake Bemidji State Park, Beltrami, Minnesota, United States · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Noah Poropat · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

Learn this pair in the BeakBrain App

Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Play today's Daily Bird

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Grey Partridge and Ruffed Grouse.