Gamekeeper's DIY project to save one of the UK's fast-declining birds sees record winter survival rates

Josh Burton, from Perthshire, began rearing grey partridges as a hobby about ten years ago.

Since then, his passion of the species has only grown and he has become devoted to helping bolster their fast declining population.

The species was once common on farmland and on moorland fringes in the UK but their populations have shrunk alarmingly, declining over 90 per cent since the 1960s - mainly caused by the loss of insect food sources on farmland with farming becoming more intensified.

Their dwindling numbers have landed them on the UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red List.

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Mr Burton has, over the years, has refined his rearing methods. He crafts specially designed coops to enable pairs to breed safely in the open before taking a percentage of the eggs for next year’s breeding stock. These are then hatched with the motherly help of a bantam. The remainder are reared in natural parent groups, in the coops, before being released into the wild.

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Despite one of the wettest winters of recent times, the keeper’s home-made conservation project is beginning to click, with a 79 per cent success rate in winter 2025.

Of the 104 birds he released last year, stemming initially from just a few eggs, 82 survived the winter and are ready to pair again, bolstering the breeding population.

Conservationists have warned grey partridges struggle significantly in winter due to modern agricultural practices reducing food and shelter, making them highly vulnerable to predation. While hardy enough to survive extreme cold, they rely on stubble fields and weeds for food and cover, facing higher mortality in late winter from raptors and mammals.

Mr Burton’s conservation project, unlike others in the UK that are supported by public finances, is self-funded and based on using what materials he can get his hands on.

The shelters are built from off-cuts from a relative’s construction project, and his feed hoppers are cut-down berry barrels from a nearby farmer.

“It’s just something I’ve wanted to do,” he said.

When the young emerge, their survival journey is far from over. Grey partridge are highly vulnerable to ground and aerial predation and Mr Burton also manages predators as a trained wildlife manager.

He controls between 30 and 40 foxes per year, to keep the young birds safe as they grow.

“Grey Partridge rearing involves the epitome of good game management,” said Mr Burton.

“We’ve had a pretty awful winter. I honestly thought we’d maybe have a survival rate of 20 per cent not a loss rate of 20 per cent but the birds have thrived. There were several coveys that didn't lose a single bird.”

Scottish Gamekeepers Association chairman Alex Hogg MBE says Josh’s work is testimony to the role gamekeepers and land managers can play in species recovery.

“Josh is an example of a working conservationist,” he said.

“Gamekeepers and farmers are helping protect species every day. They are not the types to seek limelight, but they offer so much to the countryside.”