Swamp Francolin

Swamp Francolin

Taxobox
name = Swamp Francolin
status = VU | status_system = IUCN3.1



regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Galliformes
familia = Phasianidae
genus = "Francolinus"
species = "F. gularis"
binomial = "Francolinus gularis"
binomial_authority = (Temminck, 1815)

The Swamp Partridge or Swamp Francolin ("Francolinus gularis") is a species of partridge found in parts of India, Nepal and Bangladesh mostly in the Ganges and Brahmaputra valleys.

Description

From Frank Finn's The Game Birds of India & Asia (1911):

This species is easily distinguished from most of our partridges by its large size and comparatively long legs; as in the last species, the sexes are alike in plumage, but the cock is easily distinguishable by his spurs. The upper plumage is brown barred with buff, and the outer tail-feathers chestnut, as in the Grey Partridge; but the throat is bright rust-red, and the rest of the under-parts brown longitudinally streaked with white. The bill is blackish, the eyes dark, and the feet dull red. The cock of this species, which is a little larger than the hen, will measure fifteen inches, though his tail is only a little over four; the wing is more than seven inches, and the shank two-and-a-quarter.

The Swamp Partridge, as its name implies, has a habitat quite different from our other species, affecting high grass and cane-brakes near the edges of rivers and jheels, though it will come into cultivated ground to feed. It haunts the alluvial plains of the Ganges and Brahmaputra, extending from Pilibhit to the extremity of Assam and Cachar, and even occurs occasionally on the Khasi plateau ; but it is not found in the Sundarbans. Very little is known about its breeding, but on two occasions five eggs of the species have been taken in April; they were cream-coloured and slightly speckled.

Owing to the localities which it frequents, the Swamp Partridge is usually shot from elephants; but Blanford states that he has shot it on foot near Colgong, in grass only three or four feet high. He says it much resembles the common Grey Partridge in its edible qualities, as it also does in its call ; and it is equally pugnacious. Mr. Hume, in the "Game-birds of India," falls foul of his artist for representing this species standing in water like a wading-bird. No doubt the draughtsman represented it thus in ignorance, but it would be interesting to know if this, one of the very few swamp-haunting birds in the pheasant family, ever does voluntarily go into water in the wild state. The keeper of the aviary in which a specimen of this species was confined in the London Zoo told me that he had seen it standing in water.

References

* [http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=150&m=0 BirdLife Species Factsheet]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • swamp francolin — pelkinis frankolinas statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Francolinus gularis angl. swamp francolin vok. Sumpffrankolin, m rus. болотный турач, m pranc. francolin multiraie, m ryšiai: platesnis terminas – frankolinai …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • Francolin — Taxobox name = Francolin image caption = Yellow necked Francolin regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Aves ordo = Galliformes familia = Phasianidae genus = Francolinus genus authority = Stephens, 1819 subdivision ranks = Species… …   Wikipedia

  • francolin multiraie — pelkinis frankolinas statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Francolinus gularis angl. swamp francolin vok. Sumpffrankolin, m rus. болотный турач, m pranc. francolin multiraie, m ryšiai: platesnis terminas – frankolinai …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • Phasianidé — Phasianidae Phasianidés …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Phasianidés — Phasianidae Phasianidés …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Francolinus — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda ? Francolinus Clasificación científica …   Wikipedia Español

  • Sibley-Monroe checklist 1 — The Sibley Monroe checklist was a landmark document in the study of birds conducted by Charles Sibley and Burt Monroe. It drew on extensive DNA DNA hybridisation studies to reassess the relationships between modern birds. The Sibley Monroe… …   Wikipedia

  • List of birds of India — This is a list of the bird species recorded in India. The avifauna of India includes a total of 1301 species, of which 42 are endemic, 1 has been introduced by humans, and 26 are rare or accidental. One species has been extirpated in India and 82 …   Wikipedia

  • List of Asian birds — This list of Asian birds is a listing of all the bird species known from the continent of Asia.NotesThe taxonomy of this list adheres to James Clements Birds of the World: A Checklist , and reflects all changes to that work until July, 2005.… …   Wikipedia

  • Dudhwa National Park — IUCN Category II (National Park) A Royal Bengal Tiger s pugmarks photographed by Classmatezzz... Productions …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”