Udzungwa forest partridge

The Udzungwa forest partridge (Xenoperdix udzungwensis), also known as the Udzungwa partridge, is a small, approximately 29 centimetres (11 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.

Udzungwa forest partridge
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Genus: Xenoperdix
Species:
X. udzungwensis
Binomial name
Xenoperdix udzungwensis
Dinesen, Lehmberg, Svendsen, Hansen & Fjeldså, 1994

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 Mountains was initially believed to be a well-marked subspecies, but is now recognized to be specifically distinct.[2] 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
  1. BirdLife International (2012). "Xenoperdix udzungwensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. 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. PDF fulltext Archived 2006-09-28 at the Wayback Machine


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