Welfare of Farmed Pheasants and Partridges for Shooting

The UK releases over 57 million pheasants and partridges annually for game shooting — raising profound welfare questions across the production and release process.

Key Facts

The UK releases approximately 47 million pheasants and 10 million red-legged partridges annually
Birds are hatched in hatcheries, reared in pens, then released onto shooting estates in late summer
Rearing pens can hold tens of thousands of birds at high density — pecking injuries are common
Beak clipping and plastic bits (anti-pecking devices) are widely used to prevent cannibalism injuries
Released birds suffer high predation rates — studies suggest 50-70% die before the shooting season
Many birds are never shot and remain as feral populations competing with native wildlife
Post-season birds often suffer starvation as supplementary feeding is withdrawn

Welfare Considerations

Pheasant and partridge rearing for game shooting is one of the largest-scale animal production systems in the UK yet receives remarkably little public scrutiny. The welfare issues are substantial: crowded rearing pens require anti-pecking devices; the transition to release is highly stressful; predation on naive released birds is intense; and many birds live only weeks before dying from predation, vehicle strikes, or starvation. The ecological impacts — millions of non-native birds altering woodland ecology — further complicate the picture. Welfare reform of game bird production requires both industry and regulatory action.

What You Can Do

Support a review of game bird rearing standards including mandatory welfare certification
Raise awareness of the scale of game bird production in the UK
Advocate for reducing stocking densities in pheasant rearing pens
Support the banning of beak clipping in favour of enrichment-based alternatives
Consider the animal welfare dimensions when making decisions about game shooting participation