On Thu, 06 Feb 2014 07:43:48 +0000, Malcolm wrote:

No, they are a very well-established breeding bird over most of lowland
Britain. There are still very large numbers released each year - over 6
million of both Grey and Redlegs, of which perhaps half are shot, with
any survivors boosting the naturalised popoulation - but they became
properly established as a breeding species a long time ago and are
thriving in many areas.

Interesting. I know that the greys are native and breeding (and threatened
by habitat destruction). At the shoots I was with in Leicestershire if the
beaters put up a covey of them they would shout "English" and the guns
would leave them alone. I think that practice is widespread. I don't think
that any greys are farmed and released, but I may be wrong or behind the
times. The red-legs or "Frenchmen" were, as far as I knew, all from the
stock we bought in as poults in June/July. I didn't realise that they bred
in the UK. I certainly never saw or ate a two-year old plus Frenchman,
unlike pheasants.