Partridge -where, I do not see it???

Partridge vs. Grouse

When I came to Timmins, a southern Ontario boy, I spent a lot of time in the bush. It was my work with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources that allowed me to spend so much time in the bush.

One day a partner tells me "oh look, a partridge there on the side of the road" Knowing I was a southern Ontario boy he expected I had never seen a partridge. In fact I had never seen a partridge.

My response "I do not see it, where point it out to me"
Him "Right there I am pointing to it, see it"
Me " Ok I see the grouse, where from there is the partridge?"
Him "uuh"
Me "what?"

Him "That IS the partridge"

So as it turns out in Northern Ontario both the ruffed grouse and the spruce grouse are called partridge!

Ruffed grouse is a white partridge and the spruce grouse is the black partridge.

They do not scare easy.  I walked up to this bird and it just sat their "you don't see me"

Picture does not show very well, but this bird is about 3 meters, maybe less, from me. As I walk past it, it just watched and did not fly. It was convinced I was no threat.