| Manipur bush quail | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Galliformes |
| Family: | Phasianidae |
| Genus: | Perdicula |
| Species: | P. manipurensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Perdicula manipurensis Hume, 1881 | |
TheManipur bush quail (Perdicula manipurensis) is a species ofquail found in northeastern India and Bangladesh inhabiting damp grassland, particularly stands of tall grass.[2] It was first collected and described byAllan Octavian Hume on an ornithological expedition to Manipur in 1881.
P. manipurensis is listed as Endangered on theIUCN'sRed List, as its habitat is small, fragmented, and rapidly shrinking.[1]
There was no confirmed sighting of the bird from 1932 until June 2006, whenAnwaruddin Choudhury reported spotting the quail inAssam.[3][4]
BBC News quoted theconservation director of theWildlife Trust of India, Rahul Kaul, as saying, "This creature has almost literally returned from the dead."[3]
A 1911 report byFrank Finn, based on Captain Wood's field notes of 1899, noted that the species was common in the past.[5] Wood noted that the bird was commonly trapped by Manipur people after bush fires and that the local name waslanz-soibol meaning "trap quail".[6]
The species is classified as a grassland specialist.[7] The bird tends to inhabit damp grassland areas preferring tall dense grasslands especially withelephant grass.[8]
The species if found to the south of theBrahmaputra River in the hills ofManipur andAssam and their range might extend into easternBangladesh.[7]
The species in its restricted known range is subjected to extensive habitat degradation by means of fragmentation and shrinkage contributing to its endangered status.[9]
