Shooting

Grey partridges

Q) Here in the US, our wild turkey population was virtually wiped out, but has now been successfully restored. Though the initial re-introductions were unsuccessful because gamefarm stock was released, when wild birds were relocated the project suddenly took off. Might this be the answer to restoring grey partridges in the UK? P. KENNEDY, Michigan, USA

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A) Releasing grey partridges from gamefarm stock is seldom successful because the birds invariably wander far from their release site. I cannot find any records of wild-caught birds being relocated, so it would be interesting to know whether readers have any knowledge of such experiments. The problem today might well be fi nding a source of wild partridges with sufficient stock to allow birds to be taken.

I believe that the near extermination of the wild turkey in the US was due to excessive hunting, so with better protection it was possible to restore populations. Here, the reason we have lost our grey partridges is the changing nature of the farmed landscape. Unless the environment is restored, the chances of relocated birds becoming established is zero.