How to identify it
11.8-13 in; mostly gray below with an orange face and throat. [1]
Species it is confused with
Check these before deciding what you are looking at. If you are not certain what it is, do not shoot.
- Ruffed grouse · Bonasa umbellus
Field notes
- Identification Do not identify Gray partridge from colour alone. Compare structure, size, range and the listed similar species before making a field decision.[1]
Where it lives
Cultivated land, hedgerows, bushy pastures and meadows; farmland suits it where hedgerows and shelterbelts remain between fields. [1]
In winter often in stubble fields, moving into woodlot edges in harsh weather. [1]
How it behaves
Lives in coveys most of the year, in pairs in spring; often unseen while foraging in tall grass. [1]
Where it is listed for legal take
These authorities list this species for legal take in their own regulations.
Where legal take is listed
- Alberta — hunting · 2026 Alberta Guide to Hunting Regulations
- British Columbia — hunting · 2026-2028 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis
- Manitoba — hunting · Manitoba Hunting Guide 2026
- Ontario — hunting · Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary — Small game and furbearing mammals
- Prince Edward Island — hunting · Wildlife Conservation Act — Hunting and Trapping Seasons Regulations (consolidated to 2022-09-03)
- Québec — hunting · Périodes de chasse au petit gibier 2026-2028
- Saskatchewan — hunting · Saskatchewan Hunters Guide 2026-27
- Connecticut — hunting · 2026 Connecticut Hunting and Trapping Guide
- Idaho — hunting · Upland Game, Turkey & Furbearer 2026 & 2027 Seasons & Rules
- Illinois — hunting · Illinois Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations 2026-2027 (PDF read from cached copy of the digest linked on this page)
- Iowa — hunting · 2026-27 Iowa Hunting, Trapping & Migratory Game Bird Regulations (DNR PDF; page numbers cited)
- Minnesota — hunting · Minnesota Hunting & Trapping Regulations (effective July 2026 - June 30, 2027)
- Montana — hunting · 2026 Upland Game Bird Hunting Regulations
- Nebraska — hunting · Small Game & Waterfowl Guide 2025-2026
- Nevada — hunting · CR 26-13 2026-27 & 2027-28 Seasons, Bag Limits ... Upland Game Birds, Rabbits, Wild Turkey, Furbearers
- New Hampshire — hunting · Fis 300 Wildlife Seasons and Rules
- North Dakota — hunting · 2026-2027 Small Game, Waterfowl and Furbearer Proclamation
- Oregon — hunting · 2026-27 Oregon Game Bird Hunting Regulations (official ODFW booklet)
- South Dakota — hunting · 2026 South Dakota Hunting and Trapping Handbook
- Utah — hunting · 2026-27 Waterfowl, Upland Game and Turkey Guidebook
- Washington — hunting · 2026 Washington Game Bird and Small Game Hunting Regulations (Jul 1 2026 - Jun 30 2027)
- Wisconsin — hunting · 2026 Wisconsin Hunting and Trapping Seasons PUB-CS-076-2026 (updated 06/08/2026)
- Wyoming — hunting · WGFC Ch. 11 Upland Game Bird and Small Game Hunting Seasons (dated Apr 22 2026)
Being listed is not an open season. Seasons, zones, licences, methods and limits decide whether this animal may be taken on a given day and place — check Hunt or the authority before you go. Listings read 2026-09-30.
Where it is found
Introduced from Europe (as early as the 1790s, established later); most successful on the northern prairies and present in eastern Canada, the Great Lakes, the Northwest and the Rocky Mountain region.
Sources
Every claim above is attributed to one of these published sources.
- BIOLOGICALGray Partridge | Audubon Field Guide
National Audubon Society · reviewed 2026-09-30
National Audubon Society