The adult bird was spotted bathing in the middle of the park’s reservoir before taking flight and finding refuge in a tree.

The red-legged partridge is a handsome bird. Its upperparts are a warm caramel-brown, its underparts are cream-coloured and its breast is a soft grey. The bird's facial markings are distinctive.

Don't treat partridge as you would a chicken - these birds need far less time in the oven, and are best served pink and juicy. However older birds, as a rule of thumb, benefit from slower braising ...

Certain game birds, like grouse, snipe or woodcock, aren’t ideal for a tagine, but partridge, pigeon and pheasant work ...

The bird protection charity described the deaths as a 'national disgrace'.