Daurian partridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Daurian partridge |
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| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Perdix
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| Species: |
dauurica
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The Daurian partridge (Perdix dauurica) is a cool bird that's also called the steppe partridge or bearded partridge. It's a type of gamebird, which means people sometimes hunt it. This bird belongs to the pheasant family, called Phasianidae. Its name comes from the Dauria area in Russia, where these birds live.
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What Does a Daurian Partridge Look Like?
The Daurian partridge is a round, plump bird. It's about 28–30 cm (11–12 in) long, which is roughly the length of a ruler. In the fall, male birds usually weigh between 200–340 grams (7.1–12.0 oz), and females weigh a bit more, around 290–330 grams (10–12 oz).
Both male and female Daurian partridges have a sandy-orange face. They also have long feathers under their beak that look like a 'beard'. The rest of their head and body are a light grey color. They have a light brown line on their chest and a black patch on their belly. Females usually have a smaller belly patch and look a little less bright than males.
When they sing, it sounds like a fast, high-pitched call. It's a sharp, scratchy kieerr-ik!
Where Do Daurian Partridges Live?
This partridge lives in open grasslands and steppes across East Asia. You can find them from Kyrgyzstan all the way to China and Mongolia. They often live in farmlands too.
Daurian partridges don't usually migrate, meaning they stay in the same area all year. They are ground birds and like to form groups when it's not breeding season. They prefer open areas, especially with some bushes or light woods nearby.
How Do Daurian Partridges Behave?
Daurian partridges are most active in the morning and evening. They spend this time looking for food and moving around. During the middle of the day, they usually rest, especially if the weather is hot.
Nesting and Chicks
Female Daurian partridges usually lay their eggs in late May. They build their nests on the ground, often under a bush or in tall grass. The nest is made of grasses and small twigs. A female typically lays a lot of eggs, usually between 13 and 20. These eggs are olive-brown in color.
When the chicks hatch, they are a pale yellow-brown color with dark brown and reddish spots.
What Do They Eat?
These birds mainly eat seeds. However, young chicks especially need to eat insects. Insects provide them with important protein to help them grow.
Flying and Safety
Daurian partridge chicks can fly short distances when they are about two weeks old. If something scares an adult partridge, it will quickly spring up into the air. Its wings make a loud whirring sound as it flies off to find cover. While flying away, it makes an alarmed, quick hek-hek-hek! sound.
Types of Daurian Partridges
There are two main types, or subspecies, of the Daurian partridge:
- P. d. dauurica (Pallas, 1811)
- P. d. suschkini (Poliakov, 1915)
Is the Daurian Partridge in Danger?
The Daurian partridge is not considered a globally threatened bird. This means there are still many of them around the world. However, in some places where they live, too many might be hunted.
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