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Wonderful image indeed.

https://www.onthewingphotography.com/wings/gray-partridge-images/
"Jugging" - The roosting of a covey of partridges (family Phasianidae), the group in the roost being called a 'jug'.

Possibly from the Scots 'jougs' - a round iron collar

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ecology-grey-partridge-perdix-mervyn-p-walsh
In fine weather, the night is spent in a tight group in open areas preferably 25-80m from the nearest tree; a behaviour known as ‘jugging’.


I was hunting in NE KS in the above 0 teens in 10" of snow. My setter went on point, pointing at snow and no cover. I foolishly didn't trust the dog, but kicked around and out popped 6 quail that were in a snow-covered hole. Felt bad about disturbing them.

Drew, both of those articles are really fun and full of information. Thanks

Archibald Thorburn "Hard Times - Partridges and a Hare", 1892

Drew, I love ir. One of your article talks about the “gray” partridge actually being somewhat colorful. Mr.Thorburn saw that. I have often been amazed at how beautiful wild turkeys are in the close sunlight since at the usual visual distances they look dark black or brown. I have spent many years with my dogs hunting Huns in Canada. After a month of enjoying these birds around the house, I’m not sure I can hunt them with the same fervor as in previous years. Getting old ? Yes

Another Thorburn "Partridges in a Winter Landscape"

Well done Drew in finding references. I remember some years ago when on a sniping exercise on some open heather moorland. I must have been well cammed in because I had a pack of red grouse land all around me. What interested me most was the faint little calls that they made. I suppose that landing in thick heather they would need to call the brood together for the night and the faint calls were a way of doing just that. Quite a privilege to be a part of and I only wish I could have recorded it in some way as I would doubt many would have witnessed this behaviour. After a couple of minutes they must have rumbled me as they moved off somewhere else. Lagopus.....

Lagopus,

Friend of mine had a somewhat similar experience. He was sat in a high seat when a sparrow hawk perched on top of his cap before flying off in disgust.

With reference to my theory above were the bird’s calls reminiscent of the sounds of jugs or tankards clinking when held together?

Parabola

Thorburn's "Red Partridges", 1913 calling up the brood

Parabola, the birds in this case were red grouse. Difficult to describe the sound but it was a series of faint cheeps and churs. I would doubt if it has ever been recorded anywhere. To be right in the middle of the pack as it landed was possibly an unique experience. Lagopus.....

Only place we see gray partridge now is on a few spots on the gravel roads where gravel is showing. We have been dumping some wheat on those spots hoping they will find it before it gets covered up again. Two coveys are down to four birds each now, with two at 8 and one at 12.