| Crimson-headed partridge | |
|---|---|
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| Male | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Galliformes |
| Family: | Phasianidae |
| Subfamily: | Phasianinae |
| Genus: | Haematortyx Sharpe, 1879 |
| Species: | H. sanguiniceps |
| Binomial name | |
| Haematortyx sanguiniceps Sharpe, 1879 | |
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Range | |
Thecrimson-headed partridge (Haematortyx sanguiniceps) is aspecies of bird in the pheasant, partridge, andfrancolinfamilyPhasianidae.Described by the British ornithologistRichard Bowdler Sharpe in 1879, it is theonly species in thegenusHaematortyx. It isendemic toBorneo, where it inhabits lowermontane forest in the northern and central parts of the island. It is mainly found at elevations of 1,000–1,700 m (3,300–5,600 ft), but can be seen as low as 185 m (607 ft) and as high as 3,050 m (10,010 ft). Adult males have a striking appearance, with a dark blackish body and crimson red heads, necks, breasts, andundertail coverts. Females have a similar pattern, but with duller brownish-black colouration, orangish-red heads and breasts, and a brownish-black bill instead of a yellowish one. Juveniles are duller and have the crimson restricted to the top of the head.
The species feeds on berries, insects, and smallcrustaceans. Nests of dry leaves are built in tussocks of grass orlichen, with eggs being laid from mid-January onwards.Clutches have 8–9 eggs andincubation takes 18–19 days in captivity. The crimson-headed partridge is classified as being ofleast concern by theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature due to its fairly large range, sufficiently large population, and a lack of significant population decline. It has a population of 1,000–10,000 total individuals and 670–6,700 mature birds which is thought to be declining.
In 1879, the British ornithologistRichard Bowdler Sharpedescribed the crimson-headed partridge asHaematortyx sanguiniceps on the basis of specimens from theLawa River. It is thetype species of thegenusHaematortyx, which was created for it.[2] The name of the genus is from theAncient Greekhaima, meaning "blood", andortux, meaning "quail". Thespecific namesanguiniceps comes from theModern Latinsanguis orsanguinis, meaning "blood", and-ceps, meaning "-headed".[3] "Crimson-headed partridge" has been designated the officialcommon name by theInternational Ornithologists' Union.[4] It is also known as the crimson-headed wood partridge.[5] It has no recognisedsubspecies.[4]
The crimson-headed partridge is theonly species in the genusHaematortyx, in the pheasant, partridge, andfrancolinfamilyPhasianidae, a family of 185 species found in terrestrial habitats throughout the world.[4][6] A 2021phylogeny by theevolutionary biologist Rebecca Kimball and colleagues found the crimson-headed partridge to be most closely related to aclade (group of all the descendants of a common ancestor) formed by thePolyplectron peacock-pheasants and theGalloperdix spurfowl. The crimson-headed partridge is the mostbasal (closest to the root of thephylogenetic tree) species in the group.[7]
A striking species of partridge, the crimson-headed partridge has an average length of around 25 cm (9.8 in) and the weight of one measured male was 330 g (12 oz). Adult males have a distinctive appearance; the heads, necks, and breasts, along with the final section of theundertail coverts, arecrimson red, while the rest of the body is dark blackish. The bill is yellow to yellowish white, theiris is brown with a yelloworbital ring, and the feet are grey with one to threetarsalspurs. Adult females have a similar pattern, bur differ in their duller and browner plumage, more orangish red on the head and breast, brownish-black bill, and lack of spurs. Juveniles are duller and have the crimson restricted to the top of the head, with a brownish orange head, rust-red markings on a blackish-brown breast, and red tips to thewing coverts.[5][8][9]
The species is unlikely to be confused with any other, with its colouration only resembling that of an immature maleblack partridge (Melanoperdix niger). It can be told apart from the latter by the black partridge's broader black bill.[5]
The crimson-headed partridge's song is harsh, loud, repeated call rendered asKRO-krang,kong-krrang, orwhu-kweng. It is frequently given alternately by two individuals. A grating, cluckingkak-kak-kak, ok-ak-ok, krak-krak orwhu-keng-keng-keng-kok-kok is also made when excited.[5][8][9]
The crimson-headed partridge isendemic toBorneo, where it inhabits mountains in the northern and central parts of the island. It is found in lowermontane forest, includingkerangasheath forest,alluvial forest, and poor quality forest in sandy soils. It is mainly seen at elevations of 1,000–1,700 m (3,300–5,600 ft), although it has been recorded as low as 185 m (607 ft) and as high as 3,050 m (10,010 ft).[5][8][9]
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The species'generation length (average age of parents in the population) is five years.[1] It feeds on berries, insects, and smallcrustaceans, foraging these from theforest floor and short vegetation.[5]
Nesting occurs inkerangas forests, with nests of dry leaves being built in tussocks of grass orlichen. Egg laying has been reported from mid-January onwards, with breeding males reported in March and young in April.Clutches have 8–9 light brown eggs with dark yellowish-brown streaking.Incubation takes 18–19 days in captivity.[5][8]
The crimson-headed partridge is classified as being ofleast concern by theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature due to its fairly large range, sufficiently large population, and a lack of significant population decline. It was previously considerednear-threatened and is thought to have a population of 1,000–10,000 total individuals, with 670–6,700 mature birds. It is locally common, but has a highly reduced range, with a declining population. There are no recent records of the species from centralKalimantan and its status there is unknown. It occurs in some protected areas likeKinabalu Park andGunung Mulu National Park.[1][5][8]
Media related toHaematortyx sanguiniceps at Wikimedia Commons
Data related toHaematortyx sanguiniceps at WikispeciesGenera oflandfowl and their extinct allies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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