Udzungwa Forest-partridge
Encyclopedia
The Udzungwa Forest Partridge, Xenoperdix udzungwensis also known as Udzungwa Partridge is a small, approximately 29 centimetres (11.4 in) long, boldly barred, brownish partridge
with rufous face, grey underparts, olive-brown crown and upperparts. It has a red bill
, brown iris
and yellow legs. Both sexes are similar.
Discovered only in 1991, this bird was first noticed as a pair of strange feet in a cooking pot in a Tanzanian forest camp. It inhabits and is endemic
to forests of the Udzungwa Mountains
in Tanzania
. A second population from the Rubeho Highlands was initially believed to be a well-marked subspecies
, but is now recognized to be specifically distinct. The diet consists mainly of beetle
s, ant
s and seeds.
Due to ongoing habitat loss, small population size, limited range and overhunting in some areas, the Udzungwa Forest Partridge is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List
of Threatened Species.
Partridge
Partridges are birds in the pheasant family, Phasianidae. They are a non-migratory Old World group.These are medium-sized birds, intermediate between the larger pheasants and the smaller quails. Partridges are native to Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East...
with rufous face, grey underparts, olive-brown crown and upperparts. It has a red bill
Beak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
, brown iris
Iris (anatomy)
The iris is a thin, circular structure in the eye, responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupils and thus the amount of light reaching the retina. "Eye color" is the color of the iris, which can be green, blue, or brown. In some cases it can be hazel , grey, violet, or even pink...
and yellow legs. Both sexes are similar.
Discovered only in 1991, this bird was first noticed as a pair of strange feet in a cooking pot in a Tanzanian forest camp. It inhabits and is endemic
Endemism in birds
An endemic bird area is a region of the world that contains two or more restricted-range species, while a "secondary area" contains one or more restricted-range species. Both terms were devised by Birdlife International....
to forests of the Udzungwa Mountains
Udzungwa Mountains
The Udzungwa Mountains are a mountain range south east of Dodoma in Tanzania and are part of the Eastern Arc Mountains. They are covered with tropical rainforest, mountain forest, miombo woodland, grassland, steppe and are home to many large mammals, including the Udzungwa Red Colobus and Tana...
in Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. A second population from the Rubeho Highlands was initially believed to be a well-marked subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
, but is now recognized to be specifically distinct. The diet consists mainly of beetle
Beetle
Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...
s, ant
Ant
Ants are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than...
s and seeds.
Due to ongoing habitat loss, small population size, limited range and overhunting in some areas, the Udzungwa Forest Partridge is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
of Threatened Species.