Rock partridge
| Rock partridge | ||||||||||||
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Rock partridge ( Ptilopachus petrosus ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Ptilopachus petrosus | ||||||||||||
| ( Gmelin , 1789) |
The rock partridge ( Ptilopachus petrosus ) is a species of the toothed quail family. It occurs exclusively in Africa and differs from other African chickens in that it has only slightly pronounced sexual dimorphism , the spurless and red legs and the chicken-like tail, which consists of 14 tail feathers. There are two subspecies. The species is considered harmless.
Appearance
The rock partridge reaches a size of 23 to 28 centimeters and weighs an average of 190 grams. The forehead and the top of the head are almost whitish. The throat and sides of the head are lightened and mottled dark blue. The front neck is matt gray-brown with white feather edges, the individual feathers have a black shaft and a chestnut-colored stripe in the middle. The mantle and the wing coverts are dull brown with whitish edges and chestnut colored stripes. The middle of the chest and the belly are yellow-brown. The rest of the body plumage is dull brown with yellowish brown and whitish spots. The flanks have maroon stripes. The tail is dark brown. Females are very similar to males. However, on the lower chest they are almost whitish.
Distribution area and habitat
The rock partridge occurs in Central Africa between the 7th and 17th parallel north. The distribution area extends from the coast of Gambia and Senegal via Guinea-Bissaue, Guinea and Sierra Leone, the south of Mali, Burkina Faso, the southwest of the Niger, the south of the Chad, the north of the Ivory Coast and Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria and the Northern Cameroon as well as the Central African Republic and the northeast of Zaire to Sudan, northern Uganda and western Kenya. Isolated populations exist in Ethiopia and northern Eritrea.
The habitat is dry, rocky land at altitudes between 600 and 1,500 meters above sea level. Rock partridges are very common in dense bush at the base of cliffs and on slopes covered with large stones.
Way of life
The rock partridge is a very shy and easily overlooked African hen bird. He is mostly noticed by observers when he takes sand baths on unpaved roads. Rock partridges are socially living birds. They come in pairs or in groups of three to four, occasionally 15 to 20 birds. The diet consists of seeds and small berries, which are sought in the early morning and late evening hours. During the hottest part of the day, the rock partridges rest in the shade of rocks or plants. They can occasionally be seen far away from water sources.
The nest is a hollow in the ground at the base of a rock or tree. The clutch comprises four to six eggs. The breeding time varies depending on the area of distribution. The onset of rains may be the trigger for the courtship.
supporting documents
literature
- Steve Madge , Phil McGowan, and Guy M. Kirwan : Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse. A Guide to the Pheasants, Partridges, Quails, Grouse, Guineafowl, Buttonquails and Sandgrouse of the world. Christopher Helm, London 2002, ISBN 0-7136-3966-0 .
- Rauri CK Bowie, Callan Cohen & Timothy M. Crowe. 2013. Ptilopachinae: a new subfamily of the Odontophoridae (Aves: Galliformes). Zootaxa . 3670 (1): 097-098. PDF
Single receipts
- ↑ Madge et al., P. 273
Web link
- Ptilopachus petrosus inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2014.