
THE RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGES OF SPAIN 
This report is primarily concerned with the red-legged 
partridges of Spain. Taxonomists have divided these into two sub- 
species, Alectoris rufa hispanica and Alectoris rufa intercedens, 
the distribution of which has never been closely defined. It is not 
the intention in the following pages to consider these subspecies 
separately except for the known characteristics that might influence 
the choice of one or another for trial introduction in the United 
States. 
Distribution and Relative Abundance 
In the Iberian Peninsula, the Spanish redlegs are found 
in every province of Spain and Portugal, though not in Gibraltar. 
They are particularly abundant in central Spain and occasional to 
scarce only in the mountainous country of northwestern Spain, in the 
Basque country, and in the seacoast lowlands of southwestern Portugal. 
In favorable habitats, over wide areas, partridges may 
reach an abundance of 1 per acre at the start of the hunting season. 
In one ojeo (hunt) near Toledo, in which I participated, over 1,500 
birds were put over the butts in 6 drives in 1 day. This is far 
short of the record. 
Description 
Color changes between the different subspecies of red- 
legged partridges are slight. To facilitate identification, the 
following is a description of the species, Alectoris rufa, according 
to Witherby (6), together with the variations characterizing the two 
subspecies as observed in Spain. | | 
Male 
Beak and legs coral-red; forepart of crown blue-gray, 
becoming brown on top of head and nape; a narrow white line over the 
eye and down the side of the neck; throat edged with black; back, 
upper wing coverts, and tail coverts olive-brown, often with a sug- 
gestion of greenish copper-gold; upper breast chestnut-brown; rest 
of breast blue-gray washed with brown; upper flanks beautifully 
barred with black, white, and chestnut; lower flanks and side 
feathers blue-gray, crossed near the end with a band of pale buff 
and black and tipped with chestnut. Belly and undertail coverts 
buff. Tail feathers, 14, cinnamon except for the central pair, 
which are olive-brown. Longest upper tail coverts nearly as long 
as central tail feathers. Legs normally with a blunt knob or spur 
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