A NEW scheme has been launched to boost the population of wild grey partridges.

The bird should be widespread throughout Britain but recent Defra figures indicate a population decline of 20pc and its total disappearance from some areas.

Now the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) and the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) have joined forces to try and reverse the trend.

Over the past 40 years, the partridge population has suffered a catastrophic 86pc decline, but GWCT monitoring shows that two years of good weather in many parts of the country has seen a revival.

On shooting estates, where the right habitats are being created by providing food and protection from predators, there has been a 26pc comeback.

Dr Nicholas Aeibisher, of GWCT, said the appallingly wet summers of 2007 and 2008 devastated the population.

He said: “Young partridge chicks, when they first hatch, can die rapidly from hypothermia when it is constantly wet.

“Partridges have now benefited from two good summers and where the right conditions are being provided, our monitoring shows that they can bounce back.”

The two organisations are holding countrywide regional grey partridge awareness meetings in various areas of the country this autumn.

They will provide expert advice to inspire landowners and farmers to save the grey by becoming actively involved in partridge conservation.

William Worsley, CLA president from Hovingham, said: “Landowners are very aware of the pressure on our indigenous partridge population and the need for urgent action to encourage and manage habitat where grey partridge can thrive.

“Seeing how other sporting estates and farms manage their land successfully to conserve this threatened bird helps to spread the word and this management counts towards the Campaign for the Farmed Environment.

“We hope these events will attract widespread interest and, most importantly, inspire action.”

Two of the events are at the Brackenburgh Estate, near Penrith, on Wednesday, and at Bilton Farm, Alnwick, on Thursday.

Dr Aebisher said the trust had been researching the issues facing grey partridges for the past 40 years.

He said: “We now have the expertise and science to target their specific needs, but if we are to restore the fortunes of this once familiar farmland bird, then a much larger community of farmers, landowners and conservationists needs to be mobilised.”

For more details on grey partridge meetings, call 01425-651013, email advisory@gwct.org.uk or visit gwct.org.uk/courses.