Editing Red-legged partridge (section)

{{short description|Species of bird}}
{{speciesbox
| name = Red-legged partridge
| status = NT
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2020 |title=''Alectoris rufa'' |volume=2020 |page=e.T22678711A183481909 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22678711A183481909.en |access-date=19 November 2021}}</ref>
| image = Perdrix rouge.jpg
| genus = Alectoris
| species = rufa
| authority = ([[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758]])
| synonyms = ''Tetrao rufus'' {{small|Linnaeus,&nbsp;1758}}
}}
[[File:Perdrix rouge MHNT.jpg|thumb|'' Alectoris rufa rufa ''- [[MHNT]]]]
[[File:Alectoris rufa MHNT GAL 93.jpg|thumb| ''Alectoris rufa'' - [[MHNT]]]]

The '''red-legged partridge''' ('''''Alectoris rufa''''') is a [[gamebird]] in the pheasant family [[Phasianidae]] of the order [[Galliformes]], gallinaceous birds. It is sometimes known as '''French partridge''', to distinguish it from the English or [[grey partridge]]. The genus name is from [[Ancient Greek]] ''alektoris'' a farmyard chicken, and ''rufa'' is [[Latin]] for red or rufous.

It is a rotund bird, with a light brown back, grey breast and buff belly. The face is white with a black [[Gorget (bird)|gorget]]. It has [[rufous]]-streaked flanks and red legs. When disturbed, it prefers to run rather than fly, but if necessary it flies a short distance on rounded wings. This is a seed-eating species, but the young in particular take insects as an essential [[protein]] supply. The call is a three-syllable ''ka-chu-chu''.