Greater Prairie Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido)

OTHER NAMES: Pinnated Grouse, Boomer
Latin Etymology: Tympanuchus ("kettle drum sound") cupido ("desire")

Adult female Greater Prairie Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) at Buffalo River Grassland Reserve, Minnesota, USA - July 2024

Featured Subspecies: Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus
Weight: 700-1200g  /  Length: 43cm  /  Wingspan: 70-72cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Near Threatened

A large distinctive grouse perhaps most famous for it's booming display where it inflated large bright yellow pouches on the side of it's throat to enable it to make dramatic booming noises to attract mates. It's population has crashed significantly since colonisation and is now only found in a fraction of it's former range with the heath hen subspecies of the East coast entirely extinct and the Attwater's Prairie Chicken population functionally only supported by a robust reintroduction program.

Related Species:
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Genus: Tympanuchus
SUBSPECIES: T. c. attwateri, T. c. pinnatus, (formerly T. c. cupido - now extinct)

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES - Endemic to the US - found in several North-Central States
 - CHICAGO TO ALASKA ROADTRIP 2024: Seen in Minnesota

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix)

OTHER NAMES: European Quail, Quail
Latin Etymology: Coturnix ("quail") coturnix ("quail") 

Alex Holt · Quail - 28/06/24

Recording of singing adult male Species Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix) at Brampton Vallet - June 2024

Featured Subspecies: Coturnix coturnix coturnix
Weight: 70-140g  /  Length: 18cm  /  Wingspan: 32-35cm
UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The smallest of the British Galliformes by a fair margin, the Quail is also the only migratory ones with it Wintering in the Sahel of Northern Africa, a habitat dominated by grassland and acacia trees. They are very difficult to actually see as they are prefer to dwell in longer grass where they cannot be so easily spotted by predators, aided by their cryptic plumage pattern.

Related Species:
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Genus: Coturnix
SUBSPECIES: C. c. coturnix, C. c. conturbans, C. c. inoinata, C.. c. erlangeri, C. c. africana

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A wide but sparsely and erratically distributed breeding Summer visitor
 - Heard at Brampton Valley (June 2024) and Geddington.(July 2020), .

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Black Grouse (Lyrurus tetrix)

OTHER NAMES: Northern Black Grouse, Eurasian Black Grouse, Blackcock
Latin Etymology:  Lyrurus ("lyre tail") tetrix ("grasshopper")

Adult male Black Grouse (Lyrurus tetrix) at World's End, Denbighshire, Wales - April 2024

Featured Subspecies: Lyrurus tetrix britannicus
Weight: 900-1200g  /  Length: 60cm  /  Wingspan: 65-80cm
UK RED LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A rare resident of remote uplands in Scotland, Wales and Northern England, the Black Grouse in it's adult male plumage is a distinctive species that is nearly unmistakable, except perhaps for the rarer and much larger Capercaillie. They are easiest to see at traditional lekking sites where males display for females through dance like motions.

Related Species:
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Genus: Lyrurus
SUBSPECIES: L. t. britannicus, L. t. tetrix, L. t. viridanus, L. t. tschusii, L. t. baikalensis, L. t. mongolicus, L. t. ussuriensis 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A rare resident  of remote Uplands (5000 breeding birds)
 - Seen at World's End (8 displaying males in April 2024)

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

OTHER NAMES: Turkey
Latin Etymology: Meleagris ("guineafowl") gallopavo ("cock peacock")

Adult Female Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) at Berkeley, California - August 2022

Featured Subspecies: -unknown-
Weight: 2.5-11kg  /  Length: 76-125cm  /  Wingspan: 125-144cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

While certainly far more familiar to most as a domestic bird, the wild turkey is a widespread and successful species in it's own right, being present in much of the United States and portions of Mexico. While there is rather substantial size variation between male and female birds, the males can be among the heaviest flying birds on earth. On the West Coast where I saw these individuals they are introduced and expanding their range.

Related Species:
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Genus: Meleagris
SUBSPECIES: M. g. silvestris, M. g. osceola, M. g. intermedia, M. g. merriami, M. g. mexicana, M. g. gallopavo

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 

A common resident over much of the Eastern USA, with small introduced populations in the West.

 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen in several locations around Berkeley

 Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Gallus ("rooster") gallus ("rooster")

Adult male Red Junglefowl (subspecies G. g. gallus) at Bishan Park, Singapore - February 2019

Featured Subspecies: Gallus gallus gallus
Weight: 2.6kg  /  Length: 41-78cm  /  Wingspan: 38-51cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Red Junglefowl is the ancestor of that most ubiquitous of domestic birds: the chicken.  A native of South East Asia, it's domestication by humanity took place at least 5000 years ago and the domestic form has subsequently practically spread everywhere that humanity has.  The wild population however remains alive and well in South East Asia, and indeed, it is beginning to return to Singapore, being found in parks and more remote areas of the island.  The white face patch is indicative of this being a wild bird rather than an also common, escaped domestic.

Related Species:
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Genus: Gallus
Subspecies: G. g. gallus, G. g. bankiva, G. g. jabouille, G. g. murghi, G. g. spadiceus, G. g. domesticus 

- Sighting Locations -
SINGAPORE - Recolonising the island after being extipirated

 - MALAYSIA/SINGAPORE 2019 TRIP: Several seen at Bishan Park

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Lady Amherst's Pheasant (Chrysolophus amherstiae)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Chrysolophus ("with golden crest") amherstiae (named for Sarah Countess Amherst)

Alex Holt · Lady Amherst's Pheasant - Calling Male

       Call of Adult Male Lady Amherst's Pheasant (Chrsyolophus amherstiae) at Lidlington, Bedfordshire - April 2015 (second call in recording)

Featured Subspecies: N/A

Weight: 675-850g  /  Length: 66-173cm  /  Wingspan: 70-85cm

NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Lady Amherst's Pheasant is at this point probably the rarest bird in Britain, and though some would dismiss it as an introduced bird and thus not worthy of concern, for me the history and beauty of this species were enough to track down what is probably the last of its kind in the country.  Named after the wife of a Governor of Bengal and introduced to Britain in around 1890, the population did reasonably well for itself peaking in the 70s and 80s at around 250 birds, but for various reasons (some I've seen credited include changing habitat, being killed by foxes and being killed by gamekeepers) the species declined, and now this bird is quite possibly the last of it's kind.

Even knowing where it was though, actually seeing the thing is not easy - despite it's vibrant colours it is a skulker in deep undergrowth.  I tried on two separate days to get a photo, and although I heard it a lot (see the recording, rather than photo above) and caught a glimpse of it for fractionally too short a time to turn my camera on as it crossed the ride shown in the photo, but no photograph.  Ultimately, though sitting on a path in a wood isn't exactly my ideal kind of birding, for a bird as beautiful as the Lady Amherst's Pheasant that will probably be soon lost to this country, I think it was probably worth it.  I may make an attempt to photograph it again, but possibly only if it is still around by Winter.

Related Species:
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianinae
Genus: Chrysolophus
Subspecies: None - monotypic

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Previously established feral population, now believed extinct in UK

 - The last bird seen and heard in 2015, and most recently, heard only in April 2016 at Lidlington. .

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Common Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)

OTHER NAMES: Pheasant

Latin Etymology: Phasianus ("pheasant") colchicus ("of Colchis - a country on the Black Sea")

Adult male Common Pheasants (P. c. colchicus or P. c. torquatus) at Frampton Marshes, Lincolnshire, April 2026

Featured Subspecies: Probably: Phasianus colchicus colchicus OR Phasianus colchicus torquatus

Weight: 900-1200g  /  Length: 50-89cm  /  Wingspan: 70-90cm

NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

If you live in the countryside or frequently find yourself driving through country lanes, pheasants are probably almost everyday to you. They aren't that hard to see, and despite their suicidal road based antics, are actually quite impressive birds. If you are in woodland looking for other species you are bound to run into them relatively quickly. Photographing them might be slightly more tricky, and I personally recommend woodland based nature reserves - at some places they'll come to eat seed fallen from bird feeders.

Related Species: 
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Genus: Phasianus
Subspecies: P. c. septentrionalis, P. c. colchicus, P. c. talischensis, P. c. persicus, P. c. bergii, P. c. turcestanicus, P. c. mongolicus, P. c. principalis, P. c. chrysomelas, P. c. zerafschanicus, P. c. zarudnyi, P. c. bianchii, P. c. shawii, P. c. tarimensis, P. c. hagenbecki, P. c. edzinensis, P. c. satscheuensis, P. c. vlangalii, P. c. alaschanicus, P. c. sohokhotensis, P. c. pallasi, P. c. karpowi, P. c. kiangsuensis, P. c. strauchi, P. c. suehschanensis, P. c. elegans, P. c. decollatus, P. c. torquatus, P. c. rothschildi, P. c. takatsukasae, P. c. formosanus  

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Annually captive bred and released in large numbers, feral breeding species (2,300,000 birds)

 - Birds seen at sites including Rutland Water and Geddington.                             

Further Notes:  BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Red Legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa)

OTHER NAMES: Red Partridge, French Partridge

Latin Etymology: Alectoris ("farmyard fowl") rufa ("red/ruddy")

Adult Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa - unknown subspecies) at Geddington, Kettering - April 2013

Featured Subspecies: Unknown - introduction
Weight: 500-550g  /  Length: 34-38cm  /  Wingspan: 47-50cm

NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

After the pheasant, the red legged partridge is easily the most common gamebird. They are however more difficult to photograph as they are more prone to fly off than pheasants. They are however also more likely to enter into the edges of towns and gardens. Depending on how common they are where you live they may be quite easy to photograph.  In the UK they are an introduced species for the purpose of shooting from their native range of France and Iberia, but I have had a brief view of true native birds near Madrid.

Related Species:
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae 
Genus: Alectoris 
Subspecies: A. r. hispanica, A. r. intercedens, A. r. rufa 

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - Introduced breeding species supplemented by releases (82,000 territories)

 - Birds seen regularly around Geddington and other rural locations.

SPAIN - Spanish - Perdiz común ("Common Partridge")

Scarce and Local Resident

 - MADRID 2015 TRIP: Several seen around Madrid.
 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Assorted farmland locations.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Willow Grouse (Lagopus scotius)

OTHER NAMES: Red Grouse, Willow Ptarmigan, Moorcock, Moorfowl
Latin Etymology: Lagopus ("ptarmigan") scotius ("of scotland")

Adult female Willow Grouse (subspecies L. l. scotia - the Red Grouse) at the Cheviot Hills, Northumbria - July 2009

Featured Subspecies: Lagopus lagopus scotia 
Weight: 430-810g  /  Length: 35-44cm  /  Wingspan: 60-65cm

UK AMBER LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Red Grouse is the British race of the willow grouse, and is strongly associated with upland moors and heath., In some ways it is a species which through no fault of it's own causes a lot of hassle for others. The Hen Harrier particularly suffers because gamekeepers protecting this species see it as a threat to their livelihood, with illegal shootings and poisons being an enormous problem for those birds. That being said, the Red Grouse remains by far the most common and easily seen of the grouse in the UK and a good days walking in suitable hills where it lives should yield some results a few times. For many years it was regarded as a subspecies of the Willow Ptarmigan but has as of 2025 been recognised as its own species.

Related Species:
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Genus: Lagopus
Subspecies: L. l. scotica, L. l. hibernica

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A locally fairly common resident,population artificially high due to releases for shooting (230,000 pairs)

 - Birds seen near Keswick and in the Cheviots

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Grey Partridge (Perdix perdix)

OTHER NAMES: Common Partridge, English Partridge

Latin Etymology: Perdix ("partridge") perdix ("partridge")

  Adult Grey Partridge (subspecies P. p. perdix) at Wooler, Northumbria - July 2009

Featured Subspecies: Perdix perdix perdix
Weight: 310-455g  /  Length: 29-31cm  /  Wingspan: 45-48cm

UK RED LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The grey partridge isn't the rarest game bird in the UK, but it is in decline, and is on the red list of conservation. Its one of those species where if you happen to visit where it lives, you stand a decent chance of seeing one, but not a hope if you don't. I had some luck in the area around Wooller early on in this project, but have only caught brief glimpses of them since.

Related Species:
Order: Phasianidae
Family: Perdicindae
Genus: Perdix
Subspecies: P. p. perdix, P. p. sphagnetorum, P. p. armoricana, P. p. hispaniensis, P. p. lucida, P. p. robusta, P. p. canescens      

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A scarce and local breeding species (43,000 territories)

 - Only seen at Wooler and from the car in the Cambridgeshire countryside.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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