Three French Partridges

Trying not to think of three French hens. :) I went for a walk at Lodge Farm this evening and spotted these red-legged or French partridges near the farm buildings. My pic has a natural grey vignette top and bottom formed by the aluminium bars of a gate.

Like pheasants, they're from the same family, these birds prefer to flee on foot rather than take to the air. It is an introduced species, brought to the UK from continental Europe, where it is largely found in France and Spain.