- Bambusicola fytchii
Identification
25-30 cm (9¾-11¾ in). A partridge with a relatively long neck and tail
- Buffish head-sides and throat
- Blackish stripe behind eye
- Greyish-brown upperparts with distinctive dark spots
- Chestnut streaks on neck an breast
- Bold black markings on flanks
- hopkinsoni is slightly larger and has buffier underparts and greyer underparts
Females are smaller and have a brownish eyestripe.
Juveniles are similar to females but have a paler rufous crown, a grey breast and buffier grey upperparts.
Distribution
From north-east India east to Bangladesh, Burma, soutwestern China, Thailand and Vietnam.
A widespread species but patchily distributed. Common in parts of its range.
Taxonomy
Two subspecies recognized:
- B. f. hopkinsoni from northeast India to Bangladesh and northern Burma
- B. f. fytchii in southwest China (Sichuan and Yunnan) to Burma, northwest Thailand and northern Vietnam
Habitat
Found in open scrub forest, bamboo patches, thickets and mixed tall grassland and scrub along water.
Occurs at 500 - 3000m.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on seeds, berries, shoots and buds, rice grains and some invertebrates.
Forages by scratching on the ground. Feeds more in the open in early morning and evening, usually close to water. Flies only when pressed.
Breeding
Probably a monogamous species. Breeding apparently mostly from April to July in China, March to May in India and May to July in Burma.
The nest is a scrape on the ground within scrub, grassland or bamboo. Lays 4 to 6 eggs.
Movements
Presumably a resident species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and J Sargatal, eds. 1994. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: New World Vultures to Guineafowl. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334153
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Mountain Bamboo Partridge. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 16 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Mountain_Bamboo_Partridge
