The partridge used to be a frequent resident of fields and fields, but today this bird has become rare and is considered highly endangered: monocultures, pesticides and a lack of nesting places are putting it under massive strain. Now the partridge has once again been named Bird of the Year 2026 and is thus moving into the public eye. This also draws attention to the poor situation of many farm birds.
“Kirrack!” it echoes across the meadow. The male partridge marks his territory with his rough, rasping call. The bird owes its name to this sound: The “reb” in “partridge” is an onomatopoeic replica of the call that it emits, especially in the early morning and evening. The partridge (Perdix perdix), which belongs to the chicken family, used to be a frequent resident of our landscape: its characteristic call could be heard in many fields. However, spotting the bird wasn’t always easy even back then. Although partridges are active during the day and at dusk, they are rarely seen because they hide from predators such as foxes. With their gray-brown plumage and orange-brown head, they are relatively well camouflaged in the fields, similar to their original habitat, the steppes of Europe and Asia.
Threat from monocultures and pesticides
But the partridges are difficult to observe not only because of their camouflage coloring. The species is also severely affected by the massive decline in its habitat. Since 1980, the population in Germany has declined by 87 percent. To draw attention to this, the partridge was named bird of the year in 1991. Large monocultures, pesticides, the loss of unused open areas such as fallow land, strips of flowering and old grass, early mown meadows and a lack of nesting places are putting massive strain on the gallinaceous bird. For successful breeding, the partridge needs large, open field landscapes, divided by hedges, field margins, fallow land and low bushes.
Once partridges have found their partner in spring, they are loyal to each other until the end of the breeding season. Female partridges lay up to 20 eggs in carefully hidden ground nests. Once the young have hatched, both parents look after the offspring together. Even after the young birds stand on their own two feet after around five weeks, the family remains close together as a so-called “chain” until the winter. But it’s not just the habitat and suitable breeding places that play a crucial role in the survival of the species – sufficient suitable food is also important. Adult partridges are primarily vegetarians, but their offspring require insects, spiders and other small animals. Where there is a lack of food due to the use of pesticides, many chicks do not survive the first few weeks.
Elected for the second time – for good reason
Now the partridge has managed to be voted bird of the year for the second time. In the public election organized by the nature conservation organization NABU, the chicken bird prevailed against blackbirds and long-eared owls, among others, with a record turnout of 184,044 votes. From January 2026, the partridge will replace the black redstart as bird of the year. “We are very pleased that birds and nature move so many people,” says NABU bird protection expert Martin Rümmler.
This is also urgently needed for the partridge: the populations of this once common agricultural bird have not recovered since 1991 – quite the opposite. In 2020, NABU even filed a complaint with the EU against German agricultural policy. Reason: It violates the EU Birds Directive, which stipulates that all wild bird species should be in good conservation status and that appropriate measures be taken. “Countless scientific studies, pilot projects and proposals in recent years and decades have not brought about any change in agricultural policy,” complained NABU President Jörg-Andreas Krüger at the time. The partridge’s nomination as Bird of the Year could perhaps bring some much-needed attention to the poor situation of farmland birds.
Source: NABU