Seasonal, Altitudinal and Age-Related Variation in the Diet of the Rock Partridge (Alectoris graeca) in Greece

The Rock Partridge (Alectoris graeca) is a gamebird of global conservation concern. Knowledge of the species’ diet remains limited across its distribution. This study investigated seasonal, altitudinal, and age-related variation in the diet of the Rock Partridge in northwestern and central Greece using crop content analysis. A total of 247 crops were collected between September 2000 and September 2001; 15 were empty and were excluded, resulting in 232 crops analyzed. Green parts, seeds, fruits, flowers, bulbs, arthropods, and bryophytes were the main food categories identified. Diet composition varied considerably among seasons, with green parts and flowers predominating during winter and spring, while seeds and bulbs occurred more frequently during summer and autumn. Arthropods were also more frequently recorded during summer and spring. In central Greece, autumn crops from low and subalpine zones showed similar frequencies of green parts, seeds, bulbs, and arthropods, whereas flowers and fruits differed between zones. In the subalpine zone of northwestern Greece, seeds occurred more frequently in adults than in young bird crops during autumn. Overall, these findings demonstrate pronounced seasonal variation in Rock Partridge diet and provide baseline information for understanding food utilization across seasons and altitudes in Greece.