Black quail
| Black quail | ||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||
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| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||
| Melanoperdix | ||||||||
| Jerdon , 1864 | ||||||||
| Scientific name of the species | ||||||||
| Melanoperdix nigra | ||||||||
| ( Vigors , 1829) |
The black quail ( Melanoperdix nigra ) is a species from the pheasant-like family. It is the only species in the genus Melanoperdix and occurs exclusively in Southeast Asia.
Appearance
Black quail reach a body length of 24 to 27 centimeters. The females stay a little smaller. They weigh about 280 grams.
Black quail have a noticeable sexual dimorphism . The males have predominantly shiny black plumage. The females, on the other hand, are maroon. The chin and throat, stomach and the under tail-coverts lighten in an ocher. The beak is short and noticeably thick. In the male it is black, while the females have dark horn-colored beaks. The eyes are dark brown, the legs are gray-blue.
Distribution area and habitat
The distribution area of the black quail is Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo. They are now missing in the Singapore region. They colonize rainforests of the lowlands on the Malay Peninsula and slopes on Borneo. On Borneo they occur up to an altitude of 1,200 meters.
Way of life
The black quail is one of the least researched chicken birds. Possibly this is due to the fact that the black quail is a very shy and not very callful bird. It has so far been observed both individually and in pairs. So far, five nests have been found on Borneo, with discovery times in January, May and September. Downy chicks were observed once in October on Borneo, but already in August on the Malay Peninsula and young birds in the period from August to September. In the case of black quail kept in human care, the clutch size was five to six eggs and the incubation period was 18 to 19 days.
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 .
Single receipts
- ↑ Madge et al., P. 234
Web link
- Melanoperdix niger inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2014.