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partridge

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.02 sec.
partridge, common name applied to various henlike birds of several families. The true partridges of the Old World are members of the pheasant family (Phasianidae); the common European or Hungarian species has been successfully introduced in parts of North America. In some areas of the United States the name partridge is applied to the ruffed grouse grouse, common name for a game bird of the colder parts of the Northern Hemisphere. There are about 18 species. Grouse are henlike terrestrial birds, protectively plumaged in shades of red, brown, and gray.
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, the bobwhite bobwhite, common name for an American henlike bird of the family Phasianidae, which also includes the pheasant and the partridge. The eastern bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) is about 10 in. (25 cm) long.
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, and the plumed quail quail, common name for a variety of small game birds related to the partridge, pheasant, and more distantly to the grouse. There are three subfamilies in the quail family: the New World quails; the Old World quails and partridges; and the true pheasants and seafowls.
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; in Europe the South American tinamou is called a partridge. The gray partridge, Perdix perdix, is an Old World bird of about 1 to 1 1-2 ft (30–45 cm). True partridges are classified in the phylum Chordata Chordata (kôrdā`tə,–dä`–)
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, subphylum Vertebrata, class Aves, order Galliformes, family Phasianidae.

partridge

Any of certain species of Old World game bird in the family Phasianidae. The European gray partridge (Perdix perdix), introduced into North America, has a reddish face and tail, gray breast, barred sides, and a dark U shape on the belly. Males may be 12 in. (30 cm) long. The hen lays about 15 eggs in a grassy cup in grainfields or hedges. Family groups (coveys) forage for seeds and insects. The five Asian and 35 African species of francolins (genus Francolinus) have leg spurs and are 10–16 in. (25–40 cm) long. The snow partridge (Lerwa lerwa) inhabits high Asian mountains. Partridges are larger than quail and have a stronger bill and feet. Grouse and bobwhites are often erroneously called partridge.


partridge
1. any of various small Old World gallinaceous game birds of the genera Perdix, Alectoris, etc., esp P. perdix (common or European partridge): family Phasianidae (pheasants)
2. US and Canadian any of various other gallinaceous birds, esp the bobwhite and ruffed grouse

partridge [′pär·trij]
(vertebrate zoology)
Any of the game birds comprising the generaAlectorisandPerdixin the family Phasianidae.


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Nay, she had been treated with uncommon kindness, and her mistress had permitted Mr Partridge to give her those instructions which have been before commemorated.
Peter Craig, to whose original story in this issue, "The Battle of the Partridge Eggs," we would call especial attention.
The bird-trap was quite empty, as he had caught nothing, and he had to kill a pied Partridge, which he had tamed for a decoy.
 
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