# Perdix > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Perdix > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Perdix.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perdix > Source revision: 1342245322 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Genus of birds}} {{Other uses}} {{Italic title}} {{Automatic taxobox | name = ''Perdix'' | image = Perdix perdix (Marek Szczepanek).jpg | image_caption = [Grey partridge](/source/Grey_partridge) (''Perdix perdix'') | taxon = Perdix | authority = [Brisson](/source/Mathurin_Jacques_Brisson), 1760 | type_species = ''[Tetrao perdix](/source/grey_partridge)'' | type_species_authority = [Linnaeus](/source/Carl_Linnaeus), 1758 | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = ''[P. perdix](/source/Perdix_perdix)''
''[P. dauurica](/source/Perdix_dauurica)''
''[P. hodgsoniae](/source/Perdix_hodgsoniae)'' }} '''''Perdix''''' is a genus of [Galliform](/source/Galliformes) gamebirds known collectively as the 'true [partridge](/source/partridge)s'. These birds are unrelated to the subtropical species that have been named after the partridge due to similar size and [morphology](/source/Morphology_(biology)). ==Taxonomy== The [genus](/source/genus) ''Perdix'' was introduced by the French zoologist [Mathurin Jacques Brisson](/source/Mathurin_Jacques_Brisson) in 1760 with the [grey partridge](/source/grey_partridge) (''Perdix perdix'') as the [type species](/source/type_species).{{ cite book | last=Brisson | first=Mathurin Jacques | author-link=Mathurin Jacques Brisson | year=1760 | title=Ornithologie, ou, Méthode Contenant la Division des Oiseaux en Ordres, Sections, Genres, Especes & leurs Variétés | language=fr, la | at=[https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/36010422 Vol. 1, p. 26], [https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/36010699 Vol. 1, p. 219] | place=Paris | publisher=Jean-Baptiste Bauche }}{{ cite book | editor-last=Peters | editor-first=James Lee | editor-link=James L. Peters | year=1934 | title=Check-list of Birds of the World | volume=2 | publisher=Harvard University Press | place=Cambridge, Massachusetts | page=87 | url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/14482900 }} The genus name is [Latin](/source/Latin) for "partridge", which is itself derived from [Ancient Greek](/source/Ancient_Greek) ''‘πέρδιξ’ (pérdīx)''.{{cite book | last= Jobling | first= James A | year= 2010| title= The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names | url= https://archive.org/details/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling | publisher = Christopher Helm | location = London | isbn = 978-1-4081-2501-4 |page =[https://archive.org/details/Helm_Dictionary_of_Scientific_Bird_Names_by_James_A._Jobling/page/n297 297]}} They are closely related to [grouse](/source/grouse), [koklass](/source/koklass), [quail](/source/quail) and [pheasants](/source/pheasants).{{cite journal | doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2010.03.038 | volume=56 | title=The phylogenetic position and speciation dynamics of the genus ''Perdix'' (Phasianidae, Galliformes) | journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | issue=2 | pages=840–847 | pmid=20363341 | year=2010 | last1 = Bao | first1 = X.K. | last2 = Liu | first2 = N.F. | last3 = Qu | first3 = J.Y. | bibcode=2010MolPE..56..840B | display-authors = etal | url=http://ir.lzu.edu.cn/handle/262010/114872 }} This genus contains three extant species:{{cite web| editor1-last=Gill | editor1-first=Frank | editor1-link=Frank Gill (ornithologist) | editor2-last=Donsker | editor2-first=David | year=2019 | title=Pheasants, partridges, francolins | work=World Bird List Version 9.1 | url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/bow/pheasants/ | publisher=International Ornithologists' Union | access-date=3 April 2019 }} {| class="wikitable " |- ! Image !! Common name !! Scientific name !! Distribution |- |120px ||[Grey partridge](/source/Grey_partridge) || ''Perdix perdix'' || Europe and central Asia; [Introduced](/source/Introduced_species) to Canada, United States, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand |- |120px ||[Daurian partridge](/source/Daurian_partridge) || ''Perdix dauurica'' || East Asia from Kyrgyzstan and extending eastward to China and Mongolia |- |120px ||[Tibetan partridge](/source/Tibetan_partridge) || ''Perdix hodgsoniae'' || Tibet, Northern Pakistan via Kashmir into northwestern India, northern parts of Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan, and western China. |- |} Some prehistoric species have been identified: * ''Perdix margaritae'' Kurochkin, 1985 * ''Perdix palaeoperdix'' Mourer-Chauviré, 1975 A prehistoric species only known from [fossil](/source/fossil)s was described as ''Perdix palaeoperdix''. Occurring all over southern Europe during the Early–Late [Pleistocene](/source/Pleistocene), it was eaten by the [Cro-Magnon](/source/Cro-Magnon)s and [Neanderthal](/source/Neanderthal)s. The relationships between the prehistoric species and the grey partridge are somewhat obscure; while very similar, they might be better understood as [sister species](/source/sister_species) rather than the grey partridge [evolving](/source/evolution) from the Pleistocene [taxon](/source/taxon).{{citation needed|date=April 2013}} ==Description== These are medium-sized partridges with dull-coloured bills and legs, streaked brown upperparts, and rufous tails with barring on the flanks. Neither sex has spurs on the legs, and the only plumage distinction is that females tend to be duller in appearance. Grey and [Daurian partridge](/source/Daurian_partridge)s are very closely related and similar in appearance, and form a superspecies. [Tibetan partridge](/source/Tibetan_partridge) has a striking black and white face pattern, black breast barring and 16 tail feathers instead of the 18 of the other species. ==Distribution== There are representatives of ''Perdix'' in most of temperate [Europe](/source/Europe) and [Asia](/source/Asia). One member of the genus, the [grey partridge](/source/grey_partridge), has been introduced to the [United States](/source/United_States) and [Canada](/source/Canada) for the purpose of hunting. These are [non-migratory](/source/bird_migration) [bird](/source/bird)s of the [steppe](/source/steppe)s and similar open country, though nowadays they are more associated with agricultural land. The nest is a lined ground [scrape](/source/Bird_nest) in or near cover. They feed on a wide variety of seeds and some [insect](/source/insect) food. == Cultural references == The bird shares its name with [the nephew](/source/Perdix_(mythology)) of [Daedalus](/source/Daedalus) of [Greek mythology](/source/Greek_mythology), who was transformed into the bird when his uncle murdered him in jealousy. He was killed when thrown headlong down from the sacred hill of [Athena](/source/Athena), so, mindful of his fall, the bird does not build its nest in the trees, nor take lofty flights and avoids high places.{{cite book |author=Holmes, Richard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5nvuxnsmS8MC&pg=PA1760 |title=Falling Upwards: How We Took to the Air |date=2013 |publisher=HarperCollins |pages=1760 | isbn=9780007467259 |access-date=16 April 2013}} ==Status== None of the species is threatened on a global scale, but the two more widespread partridges are over-hunted in parts of their range. The grey partridge has been badly affected by agricultural changes, and its range has contracted considerably. The Tibetan partridge seems secure in its extensive and often inaccessible range on the [Tibetan Plateau](/source/Tibetan_Plateau).{{citation needed|date=April 2013}} == References == {{Reflist}} ==Further reading== {{Refbegin}} * Madge, Steve; McGowan, Philip J. K. & Kirwan, Guy M. (2002): ''Pheasants, partridges and grouse : a guide to the pheasants, partridges, quails, grouse, guineafowl, buttonquails and sandgrouse of the world''. [Christopher Helm](/source/Helm_Identification_Guides), London. {{ISBN|0-7136-3966-0}} {{Refend}} {{Pangalliformes|Pha.|state=collapsed}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q732487}} {{Authority control}} Category:Perdix Category:Bird genera Category:Game birds --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Perdix](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perdix) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perdix?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.