Arabian partridge

Last updated

Arabian partridge
Schwarzkopfsteinhuhn klein und gross Walsrode 2014.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Genus: Alectoris
Species:
A. melanocephala
Binomial name
Alectoris melanocephala
(Rüppell, 1835)

The Arabian partridge (Alectoris melanocephala) is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae, native to the southern Arabian peninsula. Two subspecies are recognised, A. m. melanocephala and A. m. guichardi. It sometimes hybridises with Philby's partridge (Alectoris philbyi) and with the rock partridge (Alectoris graeca). [2]

Contents

Description

Larger than other members of its genus, Alectoris , the Arabian partridge reaches a length of about 41 cm (16 in). The sexes are similar in appearance but males are a little larger than females weighing on average 724 grams (25.5 oz) against the female's 522 grams (18.4 oz). The crown and nape are black and there is a broad white band above the eye, separated from the white chin and upper throat by a narrow black line. This starts at the corner of the beak, passes below the eye and forms a "V" shape on the neck. The sides of the neck are pale brown and the body, wings and tail are bluish-grey with much dark barring on the flanks. The legs and beak are pink. Males have a knob on the tarsus (lower leg). [3] [4]

Distribution and habitat

Arabian Partridge at Jebel Hafeet, Al Ain Arabian Partridge.jpg
Arabian Partridge at Jebel Hafeet, Al Ain

The Arabian partridge is native to southern Saudi Arabia, Yemen and western Oman. It has been introduced to United Arab Emirates. The subspecies A. m. guichardi occurs in eastern Hadramut and eastern Yemen and A. m. melanocephala occurs in the rest of the range. It is found on grassy slopes and stony ground with a reasonable amount of vegetation cover, from near sea level to an altitude of about 1,400 metres (4,600 ft). [4] In 2022, a population of the birds was found in Harrat Uwayrid Biosphere Reserve in Saudi Arabia, around 100 kilometres (62 mi) further north than all other known populations. [5]

Behaviour

A ground-dwelling bird, it feeds on seeds, other plant material such as Mediterranean grass and cudweed, and small invertebrates. [4] The breeding season starts in March and a clutch of five to eight eggs is laid in a shallow scoop on the ground. The eggs are pale buff flecked with brown and are incubated for about 25 days before hatching into precocial young that are soon able to leave the nest. [3]

Conservation status

The Arabian partridge has a wide range and is common in many parts of this. The total size of the population is unknown but the population trend appears to be steady. For these reasons, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed the bird's conservation status as being of "least concern". [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black turnstone</span> Species of bird

The black turnstone is a species of small wading bird. It is one of two species of turnstone in the genus Arenaria the ruddy turnstone being the other. It is now classified in the sandpiper family, Scolopacidae, but was formerly sometimes placed in the plover family, Charadriidae. It is native to the west coast of North America and breeds only in Alaska.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-legged partridge</span> Species of bird

The red-legged partridge is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds. It is sometimes known as French partridge, to distinguish it from the English or grey partridge. The genus name is from Ancient Greek alektoris a farmyard chicken, and rufa is Latin for red or rufous.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chukar partridge</span> Species of bird

The chukar partridge, or simply chukar, is a Palearctic upland gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae. It has been considered to form a superspecies complex along with the rock partridge, Philby's partridge and Przevalski's partridge and treated in the past as conspecific particularly with the first. This partridge has well-marked black and white bars on the flanks and a black band running from the forehead across the eye down the head to form a necklace that encloses a white throat. Native to Asia, the species has been introduced into many other places and feral populations have established themselves in parts of North America and New Zealand. This bird can be found in parts of Middle East and temperate Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green peafowl</span> Species of bird

The green peafowl or Indonesian peafowl is a peafowl species native to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia and Indochina. It is the national bird of Myanmar. Formerly common throughout Southeast Asia, only a few isolated populations survive within Cambodia and adjacent areas of Vietnam. It has been listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List since 2009, primarily due to widespread deforestation, agriculture and loss of suitable habitat, severely fragmenting the species' populations and contributing to an overall decline in numbers. Due to their natural beauty, they are still sometimes targeted by the pet trade, feather collectors, and even by hunters for meat. They are a much-desired bird for private and home aviculturists, despite their rather high-maintenance care requirements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock partridge</span> Species of bird

The rock partridge or common rock partridge is a gamebird in the pheasant family, Phasianidae, of the order Galliformes. It is native to southern Europe, and is closely related and very similar to its eastern equivalent, the chukar partridge, A. chukar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbary partridge</span> Species of bird

The Barbary partridge is a gamebird in the pheasant family (Phasianidae) of the order Galliformes. It is native to North Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pin-tailed sandgrouse</span> Species of bird

The pin-tailed sandgrouse is a medium large bird in the sandgrouse family. It has a small, pigeon-like head and neck and a sturdy, compact body. It has long pointed wings, which are white underneath, a long tail and a fast direct flight. Flocks fly to watering holes at dawn. The call is a loud kattar-kattar. This gregarious species breeds on dry open treeless plains and similar habitats. Its nest is a ground scrape into which two or three cream-coloured eggs with cryptic markings are laid. Both sexes incubate the eggs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sand partridge</span> Species of bird

The sand partridge is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daurian partridge</span> Species of bird

The Daurian partridge, also known as steppe partridge, Asian grey partridge or bearded partridge, is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes. Its name derives from the Dauria region of Russia, which forms part of their distribution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jungle bush quail</span> Species of bird from the Indian subcontinent

The jungle bush quail is a species of quail in the family Phasianidae. It is native to the Indian subcontinent, where it is found in peninsular India and Sri Lanka. It has also been reported from Nepal but has not been seen there since the 19th century, and an introduced population exists on the island of Réunion. A small species of quail 15–18 cm (5.9–7.1 in) long and weighing 57–82 g (2.0–2.9 oz), it shows significant sexual dimorphism. Males have brown upperparts with blackish and buff marking and whitish underparts with black barring. The face is mainly dark reddish-brown, with brown ear-coverts, a buffy-white moustachial stripe, and the supercilium turning whitish towards the back of the neck. Females have a similar pattern, but with pinkish-brown underparts, more uniform wings, and duller moustachial stripes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-legged buttonquail</span> Species of bird

The yellow-legged buttonquail is a buttonquail, one of a small family of birds which resemble, but are unrelated to, the true quails. This family is peculiar in that the females are larger and more colourful than the males and are polyandrous.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salvadori's pheasant</span> Species of bird

Salvadori's pheasant is a landfowl bird of genus Lophura, native to Indonesia. It is found in the mountain rainforests of Sumatra. Thus it is also known as the Sumatran pheasant. The Hoogerwerf's pheasant is usually thought to be a subspecies. This bird was first described in 1879 by the Italian ornithologist Tommaso Salvadori. The species name inornata means "without ornament".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black guineafowl</span> Species of bird

The black guineafowl is a member of the guineafowl bird family. It occurs in humid forests in Central Africa. It is a medium-sized black bird with a bare, pink head and upper neck. Little is known of its behaviour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philby's partridge</span> Species of bird

Philby's partridge or Philby's rock partridge, is a relative of the chukar, red-legged partridge and barbary partridges and is native to southwestern Saudi Arabia and northern Yemen. Although similar in appearance to other Alectoris species, Philby's partridge can be distinguished by its black cheeks and throat. Although not currently listed as an endangered species, the Arab Spring and destruction of its fragile habitat in the tribal areas of Northern Yemen had led to concerns about the survival of this species. The name commemorates the British explorer St John Philby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Menetries's warbler</span> Species of bird

Menetries's warbler or Ménétries's warbler is a small passerine bird of Southwest Asia belonging to the genus Curruca. The name of the species commemorates Édouard Ménétries, the French zoologist who described the species in 1832. It is closely related to the Sardinian warbler of the Mediterranean basin and is similar to it in appearance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orange-necked partridge</span> Species of bird

The orange-necked partridge is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It is found in eastern Cambodia and southern Vietnam. Its habitats are lowland forests, shrubland, and plantations. It was described in 1927 and rediscovered in 1991. It is threatened by habitat loss, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as a near-threatened species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufous-throated partridge</span> Species of bird

The rufous-throated partridge is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It is found in montane forests in India and Southeast Asia. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as a least-concern species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-backed buttonquail</span> Species of bird

The red-backed buttonquail is a species of bird in the family Turnicidae. It is found in Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and the Solomon Islands. Other names by which it is known in different parts of its range include black-backed, black-spotted and orange-breasted buttonquail. There are fourteen recognised subspecies.

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2016). "Alectoris melanocephala". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T22678714A92784875. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22678714A92784875.en . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. "Arabian Partridge (Alectoris melanocephala) (Rüppell, 1835)". AviBase. Retrieved 2014-09-24.
  3. 1 2 Cowell, Dan. "Arabian partridge (Alectoris melanocephala)". gbwf.org. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 McGowan, P.J.K.; Kirwan, G.M. (2013). "Arabian Partridge (Alectoris melanocephala)". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions. Retrieved 2014-09-25.
  5. "Arabian Partridge spreads north". Birdguides. 1 March 2024. Retrieved 1 March 2024.