The Barbary partridge is a gamebird in the pheasant family (Phasianidae) of the order Galliformes. It is native to North Africa.
Region
North Africa and Western Mediterranean
Typical Environment
Native across the Maghreb from Morocco through northern Algeria and Tunisia into parts of northwestern Libya. Small, established populations also occur on Gibraltar and some nearby islands where introduced. It favors dry, rocky slopes, steppe-like grasslands, open scrub, and mosaic farmland with scattered bushes or low trees. The species avoids dense forest and prefers broken terrain with ample ground cover and nearby water in the driest areas.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 3000 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 3/5
The Barbary partridge is a robust gamebird of rocky hills and scrub, more inclined to run than fly when disturbed. It is the national bird of Gibraltar and has long been associated with traditional hunting in North Africa. Outside the breeding season it gathers in family coveys and performs conspicuous dust-bathing and sunning on open slopes.
Temperament
wary and alert, largely terrestrial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats followed by brief glides
Social Behavior
Typically seen in pairs during the breeding season and in family coveys outside it. Nests are shallow ground scrapes hidden under scrub or grass, with clutches often exceeding a dozen eggs. Both adults lead chicks soon after hatching and rely on camouflage and quick running to evade predators.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A ringing, chuckling series of notes, often rendered as chuk-chuk-chu-chu-chu accelerating and trailing off. Calls carry well over rocky hillsides, with softer contact clucks within coveys.
Plumage
Grey-brown upperparts with a bluish-grey breast and buff belly, boldly barred flanks, and a clean white throat bordered by a sharp black gorget. Crown and nape show rufous tones; back finely mottled. Feathers are tight and smooth, giving a neat, rounded appearance.
Diet
Feeds mainly on seeds, grains, green shoots, leaves, and buds taken from the ground. Supplements its diet with insects and other small invertebrates, especially for protein-hungry chicks. Will forage in cultivated areas, taking spilt grain and weed seeds, and may browse low herbs after rains when vegetation flushes.
Preferred Environment
Forages on open, rocky slopes, scrubby hillsides, field margins, and sparsely vegetated terraces. Often feeds along paths, dry streambeds, and edges of cultivation where seeds and invertebrates are concentrated.
