partridge
a kind of bird – ground-dwelling (mostly found on the ground) – game bird (hunted for sport and food) – belongs to the pheasant family – medium-sized with stout (plump) body and grey or brown or greyish-brown with stripes of white and black feathers on the chest and sides of wings – different sub-species has different feather colour and pattern), small round head with medium-sized sharp pointed beak (bill), medium-sized colourful tail; short strong legs (in some sub-species the beak is red and the legs are pink); size; 10-14 inches long, and weight: about 500 grams; feeds on (eats) seeds, grain and other plant matter, and insects; lives for 2-5 years; several sub-species native to Europe, Asia, Africa, and introduced to North America
female ~~ hen
baby ~~ chick
group ~~ covey; bew; bevy, brace, juggling, warren
voice (call) ~~ {no particular name} shrill cry, whistle, (chuck…chuck; kee..ah)
home ~~ nest (on the ground at the base of a bush)
The meat of a partridge eaten by people is also called ‘partridge’. The meat of a ‘grouse’ or ‘quail’ is also called ‘partridge’!
partridge as food
The ‘chukar partridge’ is the national bird of Pakistan, Asia.
The ‘Hainan partridge’ is the province bird of Hainan in China.
Partridges are the most favoured game bird, hunted for fun (sport) or meat.
A partridge hen lays the most number of eggs in one laying period of any bird species!
One of the sub-species of partridge is called “chukar” in some parts of the world.
1.
as plump as a partridge
2.
to spring a partridge = to attract some innocent person in order to rob or cheat
3.
“If you had not aimed at the partridge you would not have missed the snipe!” (‘snipe’ = a kind of bird) [said of a situation where by trying for too much or too difficult a thing, the easier or simpler alternative is missed or ignored]
More from Animals in Language
Python
python: a large python a kind of snake -- reptile -- usually large, muscular and powerful -- grows to 1 metre …
Animals-Adder-Aye-Aye
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T …
