Grey Partridge Welfare on Arable Farms

The grey partridge has declined 92% in the UK since 1967, making it a priority species. Its welfare is intimately linked to arable farming practices that affect chick survival.

Key Facts

92% UK decline since 1967 — now a red-listed species of conservation concern
Chick survival depends critically on insects in cereal crop margins for first 6 weeks
Adults form coveys in autumn and winter — social bonds important for welfare
Nests on the ground in tussocky grass at field margins
Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust work shows 35% margins can reverse decline

Welfare Considerations

Grey partridge chicks die rapidly without sufficient insect food in the first weeks of life — a welfare issue directly caused by pesticide use eliminating arthropod populations from arable fields. Adults in hedgerow-poor landscapes cannot thermoregulate effectively in cold weather. Ground-nesting birds also suffer welfare impacts from mechanical cutting of field margins during the breeding season. Research-based management on demonstration farms shows stark improvements in survival rates when insect-rich margins are maintained.

What You Can Do

Support farms and estates enrolled in grey partridge recovery programmes
Advocate for pesticide reform to protect farmland invertebrates
Contact your MP about strengthening agri-environment scheme requirements
Donate to the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust partridge project
Ask supermarkets to source grain from wildlife-friendly farms