Photo: Vlaamse
Broedvogelatlas
| Greek Name: | ho/hê perdix [German: Steinhuhn]. | |
| Description: | Pale blue-grey plumage on upperparts that assumes a reddish tinge on the back. Black outline around snow-white throat, black bars on flanks. L 33 cm. | |
| Habitat: | Lives on steep, sun-exposed cliffs above 1200m where rocks alternate with brush and meadows [1]. | |
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Behaviour: |
Usually moves in coveys on the ground. In the face of danger, it runs uphill. | |
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Ancient Associations: |
In antiquity, the name perdix usually refers to the Rock Partridge. The Gray Partridge (perdix perdix; G.: Rebhuhn) was rare and only found in Italy [2]. The partridge was a favorite game bird. Its meat was recommended for invalids; meat, eggs, and innards were used for medical and magical purposes. Rock partridges were also caught alive to be used as decoy birds to attract other game birds and to perform in partridge fights. In additon, people kept them as pets in cages because they enjoyed their clear, loud call-note (kakkabizein) and were amused by their proverbial salacity. Besides their erotic excesses, rock partridges were also known as smart and cunning because they supposedly feign lameness to lure attackers away from their nests.[3] |
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| Sources: |
[1]
B. Bruun/ H. Delin/L. Svenson, Der Kosmos Vogelführer: Die Vögel
Deutschlands und Europas, 10th ed. Stuttgart: Franck-Kosmos, 1993,
pp. 98-99. |
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