A stranger in town.

When I looked out this  morning there were a couple of these Red Legged Partridge ( Alectoris gracca ) wandering around the garden with the Pheasants.  We have had them before but only very occasionally and it is a number of years ago.

They look very exotic which is basically why they are here as an introduced species.  They first arrived in the 1600s like many things as an ornament/status symbol for the nobility.  Some became naturalized, however, they are now also captive bred and released, like Pheasants by shooting estates.

I am rather annoyed by introductions they generally do more harm than good.  I am not suggesting Red Leggs have anything to do with the crash of our Native Grey Partridge, the decline in insects and the fact the chicks are fed exclusively on insects for the first 2 weeks probably accounts for that.  It is literally decades since I remember seeing a Grey Partridge.