Udzungwa Forest-partridge

Taxobox
name = Udzungwa Forest-partridge
status = EN | status_system = IUCN3.1
status_ref = [ IUCN2006|assessors=BirdLife International|year=2004|id=23117|title=Xenoperdix udzungwensis|downloaded=29 July 2006 Database entry includes a discussion of why this species is endangered, and the criteria used.]
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Galliformes
familia = Phasianidae
genus = "Xenoperdix"
species = "X. udzungwensis"
binomial = "Xenoperdix udzungwensis"
binomial_authority = Dinesen, Lehmberg, Svendsen, Hansen & Fjeldså, 1994The Udzungwa Forest-partridge, "Xenoperdix udzungwensis" also known as Udzungwa Partridge is a small, approximately 29cm 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. [Bowie, Rauri C.K. & Fjeldså, Jon (2005): Genetic and morphological evidence for two species in the Udzungwa forest partridge. "Journal of East African Natural History" 94(1): 191–201. [http://www.naturekenya.org/Downloads/jldownloads/JEANH_94_1_Bowie.pdf PDF fulltext] ] The diet consists mainly of beetles, ants 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.

References

External links

* [http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=187&m=0 BirdLife Species Factsheet]
* [http://www.redlist.org/search/details.php?species=23117 IUCN Red List]