Thanks to the exchange of good practices between FIdC and FNC, the adoption of sneezing by couples of partridges without offspring was realized for the first time in the Mezzano. This technique, learned from French colleagues, gives excellent results in areas with a good presence of partridges and has been implemented since the second year of the reintroduction program of the Life Perdix Project.

Pairs of partridges without offspring, in fact, are very willing to adopt sneezing. The same predisposition to adoption manifests itself in single subjects, even in males who have lost the female.
Once the presence of an available couple is ascertained nearby, about 15 night sleepers are transferred to an aviary, supplying them with food and water daily. At that point it is necessary to make sure that the intentions of the couple are oriented towards the adoption of the young, for this reason they are closed in the aviary and proceeded to observe from a distance, without causing the slightest disturbance, the behavior of the adults.

Subsequently, the “well-intentioned” couple will try to find a way to enter the aviary and contact the young sneers, who will respond to the calls of the adults. If the following day the adults are still present around the aviary, the actual adoption will be carried out by opening the door of the aviary, letting the sneezing out without frightening them and without dispersing them before they have joined the couple or the single adult. At this point, young people will be able to exit the aviary and adults can enter it as they please. These delicate phases will be observed while remaining distant and hidden.

The age of sleepers suitable for adoption ranges from a minimum of 5 weeks to a maximum of 8 weeks. Sneezing under the age of 5 weeks risk not being able to keep up with the new parents and therefore disperse. Conversely, by employing sneezing older than 8 weeks, there is a risk that they reject the parents.
The practice of adoption is really very important because it greatly increases the quality level of reintroduction: the sneezing in adoption are released in nature before the others (no longer at 90 days of age, but at 35/40 days), they learn directly from the adoptive parents all aspects related to rustic life (finding food, defense from predators, etc.).

This introduction technique, therefore, increases the chances of survival in the wild of the released young sneezing.