A Partridge in a Pear Tree

Possibly the most famous avian in the Christmas ditty is the partridge. To most, a partridge probably brings to mind something like the plump little chukar, a partridge native to Eurasia and introduced to North America as a game bird. In the UK, it could refer to one of two partridges.

There are 92 known species of partridges, which are relatives of quail and live in grasslands the world over.

Sadly, though, the birds are ground nesters, and not "likely to roost in pear trees," says Michael Ward, avian ecologist at the University of Illinois.

Source National Geographic

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