| Partridge | |
|---|---|
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| Crested wood partridge (Rollulus rouloul) | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Galliformes |
| Superfamily: | Phasianoidea |
| Groups included | |
| Cladistically included but traditionally excluded taxa | |
Apartridge is a medium-sizedgalliform bird in any of several genera, with a widenative distribution throughout parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. Several species have been introduced to the Americas. They are sometimes grouped in thePerdicinae subfamily of thePhasianidae (pheasants, quail, etc.). However, molecular research suggests that partridges are not a distincttaxon within the superfamily Phasianoidea, but that some species are closer to thepheasants, while others are closer to thejunglefowl.[1]
Partridges are medium-sizedgame birds, generally intermediate in size between the larger pheasants and smaller quail; they're ground-dwelling birds that feature variable plumage colouration across species, with most tending to grey and brown.
Partridges are native toEurope,Asia,Africa, and theMiddle East. Some species are found nesting on steppes or agricultural land, while other species prefer more forested areas. They nest on the ground and have a diet consisting of seeds and insects.
Species such as thegrey partridge and thered-legged partridge are popular asgame birds, and are often reared in captivity and released for the purpose of hunting. For the same reason, they have been introduced into large areas of North America.
According to Greek legend, the first partridge appeared whenDaedalus threw his apprentice,Talos, off the sacred hill ofAthena in a fit of jealousrage. Supposedly mindful of his fall, the bird does not build its nest in the trees, nor take lofty flights and avoids high places.[2]
As described by medieval scholarMadeleine Pelner Cosman, medical practitioners in theMiddle Ages recommended partridge as a food of love: They suggested that "Partridge was superior in arousing dulled passions and increasing the powers of engendering. Gentle to the human stomach, partridge stimulated bodily fluids, raised the spirits, and firmed the muscles."[3]
Probably the most famous reference to the partridge is in the Christmas carol, "The Twelve Days of Christmas".[4] The first gift listed is "a partridge in apear tree", and these words end each verse. Since partridges are unlikely to be seen in pear trees (they are ground-nesting birds)[5] it has been suggested that the text "a pear tree" is a corruption of the French "une perdrix" (a partridge).[6]
The partridge has also been used as a symbol that representsKurdish nationalism. It is calledKew. Sherko Kurmanj discusses the paradox of symbols in Iraq as an attempt to make a distinction between the Kurds and the Arabs. He says that while Iraqis generally regards the palm tree, falcon, and sword as their national symbols, the Kurds consider the oak, partridge, and dagger as theirs.[7]
In Hinduism, theTaittiriya Shakha of theKrishna Yajurveda is named after thetittiri, the Sanskrit word for partridge. According to legend, on the command of his angered guruVaishampayana,Yajnavalkya regurgitates the Yajurveda. The other disciples of Vaisampayana transform themselves into partridges and eagerly pick up the jumbled, but complete, knowledge, explaining the namesake and the mixed format of the recension.[8]
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