Gold Partridge



Male plumage:


Head dark orange-red, neck hackle bright orange or golden-red, becoming lighter towards the shoulders and preferably shading off as near lemon colour as possible, each feather distinctly striped down the middle with black, and free from shaftiness, black tipping or black fringe. Saddle hackle to resemble neck hackle as nearly as possible, Breast, thighs, underparts, tail, coverts, wing butts and foot feather, hock feather and fluff lustrous green-black, free from grey, rust or white. Back, shoulder coverts and wing bow rich crimson. Primaries black, free from white or grizzle, secondaries black inner web, bay outer, showing a distinct wing bay when closed.



Female plumage:


Head and neck hackle light gold or straw, each feather distinctly striped down middle with black. Remainder clear light partridge brown, finely and evenly pencilled all over with concentric rings of dark shade (preferably glossy green-black). The whole of uniform shade and marking, and the ground colour of the soft brown shade frequently described as the colour of a dead oak leaf, with three concentric rings of pencilling or more over as much of the plumage as possible.