Released Pheasant and Partridge Welfare in the UK

Over 50 million pheasants and partridges are released into the UK countryside each year for game shooting. This scale of release has significant welfare implications for the birds themselves during rearing and release.

Key Facts

Approximately 47 million pheasants and 10 million red-legged partridges are released annually in the UK
Released birds have higher mortality rates from predation, road traffic, and disease than wild populations
Pen rearing involves beak trimming and sometimes spectacles to prevent feather pecking
The RSPCA estimates that fewer than 40% of released pheasants are shot, with the remainder dying from other causes

Welfare Considerations

Pheasants raised in release pens are typically kept at high density and may have beaks trimmed to reduce feather pecking. The abrupt transition from pen to open countryside exposes naive birds to unfamiliar predators and environments, leading to high early mortality. Road mortality is substantial as birds are attracted to road surfaces. Birds that survive the shooting season face winter with limited experience of natural foraging. The scale of release creates conditions that compromise welfare for millions of birds throughout their lives.

What You Can Do

Support policy requiring improved welfare standards in pheasant and partridge release operations
Advocate for density limits in pheasant release pens equivalent to other poultry systems
Encourage game shooting estates to adopt higher welfare rearing and release practices
Support research into the ecological and welfare impacts of large-scale game bird release