Rock Partridge (Alectoris graeca)

The Rock Partridge is considered a mountain species, although its presence has been confirmed in a wide range of altitudes, even near sea level. It usually inhabits open, rocky, dry and steep mountain slopes. Its diet is composed of insects, seeds, roots and generally a variety of plants, depending on the season. The nesting habitat is similar to the foraging habitat, normally located within 3 km from water. There are two published estimates concerning the total Greek population of this species: 2,000-5,000 pairs (Tucker & Heath, 1994) and 7,000-13,000 pairs (Birdlife International, 2004).