This year focus is on grey partridges
Text: Riho Kinks, EOÜ; editor of Tiirutaja
Photos: Arne Ader
Translation: Silver
Grey partridges on the roadside
Grey partridge Nurmkana Perdix perdix
The Estonian Ornithological Society chose the grey partridge, also known as the English partridge or Hungarian partridge, as bird of the year for 2013. This bird, who is the size of a small domestic hen, lives mainly in cultivated landscapes and can often be found near farmsteads, barns and other human settlements. In spite of that, not much is known about the life of grey partridges. It is believed that 4000 ... 8000 couples are living in Estonia; however, recent census data show that the numbers of grey partridge have decreased significantly. With the help of media and nature night events, the current year includes plans to make people aware of the grey partridge and with the help of birders, to find out more about this species. To help that cause, reports about grey partridges, which have been spotted, are very welcome. This can be done on the homepage of the bird of the year and also by a smart-phone directly from the scene. The well-being of the grey partridge and size of winter flocks and of broods will be observed with the help of a questionnaire. In addition to that, there are plans to install web cams at grey partridge winter feeding spots and investigate who is looting the nests of these birds.
Additional information about the grey partridge and possibilities of how to participate can be found from the homepage of the bird of the year:
The newsletter for bird friends, Tiirutaja no. 20, is now available and the bird of the year is discussed: why the grey partridge is called „nurmkana“ in Estonian and not „põldpüü“ anymore and how birds receive their Estonian names.
The Eurasian siskin is presented and an article about mistakes in the new bird identifier, which was published in the spring, can be found.
Tiirutaja no. 20.
Trails of grey partridge on snow
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