Background: Partridge is a major bird species that has recently gained an increasing importance as an alternative food source and a game animal in hunting tourism. Herein, we aimed to examine the histological structure and stereological properties of the renal and adrenal glands of red-legged partridge.

Materials and methods: Seven healthy adult red-legged partridges (Alectoris chukar) of both genders were used in this study. The Alectoris chukars were perfused with the intracardiac method and were kept in 10% formaldehyde for 72 h for optimal fixation. The tissues were embedded in paraffin after routine light microscopic processes. Then, 5-μm thick sections were taken, which were stained with haematoxylin and eosin, photographed, and examined in light microscope. Modified Cavalieri principle was used for volume calculation as stereological analysis. Total tissue volume ratios were calculated with the help of a point grid provided by the Shtereom 1.5 packaged programme. Mann Whitney-U test was used for inter-group comparisons. The significance level was set at 5% SPSS (ver: 13) statistical software was used for all statistical analyses.

Results: Renal histological structure was found to resemble those of other bird species and contained a mixed type (mammalian, reptilian) glomerular structure. It was also found that the adrenal histology was not in the form of separate layers but composed of cell groups with different properties. Stereological renal volume assessment revealed statistically similar right and left renal size (p > 0.05). In adrenal gland volume assessment, the right and left adrenal volumes were also statistically similar (p > 0.05).

Conclusions: The obtained data in the present study is thought to contribute to the understanding of the stereological, morphological and histological structure of the red-legged partridge (Alectoris chukar) kidney and adrenal gland.