Alternative name: White-cheeked Hill-Partridge
- Arborophila atrogularis
Identification
28cm.
- Bold white forehead, brow and moustachial to malar patch
- Black mask and throat
- Black-streaked neck and flanks
- Boldly barred upperparts
Sexes similar. Juveniles similar but with white teardrops on undeparts and coarser black spotting on crown.
Separated from other Hill-Partridges by lack of rufous on head.
Distribution
Found in northeast India (Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura), northeast Bangladesh, northern and western Burma and southern China (western Yunnan).
Status not well known but certainly threatened by habitat loss.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
The described subspecies rupchandi is usually not accepted.
Habitat
Moist lowland forests and montanes, scrub and bamboo. Also in grassland and cultivation close to forest cover.
Occurs up to 1500 m.
Behaviour
Birds flush one at a time when a covey is pressed.
Diet
Not well known. Probably feeds, weeds, berries, shoots and invertebrates.
Breeding
Breeding season March to April in lower altitudes in India, June to July higher up. The nest is a scrape lined with grass and leaves under scrub in grassland or bamboo. Lays 4 to 5 eggs.
Movements
Not well documented but may just be a rare visitor to Bangladesh.
Reference
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2014. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.9., with updates to August 2014. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2015. IOC World Bird Names (version 5.2). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved May 2015)
- Rasmussen, PC and JC Anderton. 2005. Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334672
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) White-cheeked Partridge. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 12 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/White-cheeked_Partridge
