The Rubeho forest partridge (''Xenoperdix obscuratus'') is a small, approximately long, boldly barred, brownish
partridge
A partridge is a medium-sized Galliformes, galliform bird in any of several genera, with a wide Indigenous (ecology), native distribution throughout parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. Several species have been introduced to the Americas. They a ...
with rufous face, grey underparts, and olive-brown crown and upperparts. It has a red
bill
Bill(s) may refer to:
Common meanings
* Banknote, paper cash (especially in the United States)
* Bill (law), a proposed law put before a legislature
* Invoice, commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer
* Bill, a bird or animal's beak
Plac ...
, brown
iris
Iris most often refers to:
*Iris (anatomy), part of the eye
*Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess
* ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants
* Iris (color), an ambiguous color term
Iris or IRIS may also refer to:
Arts and media
Fictional ent ...
, and yellow legs. Both sexes are similar.
It inhabits and is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to forests of the
Rubeho Mountains
The Rubeho Mountains are a mountain range in central Tanzania. The mountains in Dodoma and Morogoro regions, southeast of Tanzania's capital Dodoma. The Rubeho Mountains are part of the Eastern Arc Mountains, and are home to a biodiverse communi ...
in
Tanzania
Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...
. It was formerly considered to be a well-marked
subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
of the Udzungwa forest partridge, ''
Xenoperdix udzungwensis'' of the
Udzungwa Mountains
The Udzungwa Mountains are a mountain range in south-central Tanzania. The mountains are mostly within Iringa Region, south of Tanzania's capital Dodoma. The Udzungwa Mountains are part of the Eastern Arc Mountains, and are home to a biodiverse ...
, but is now recognized to be specifically distinct.
Its diet consists mainly of
beetle
Beetles are insects that form the order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Endopterygota. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 400,000 describ ...
s,
ant
Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cretaceous period. More than 13,800 of an estimated total of 22 ...
s, and seeds.
Due to ongoing habitat loss, small population size, limited range, and overhunting, ''Xenoperdix obscuratus'' is considered
endangered
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inva ...
,
[ although it has not been evaluated by the ]IUCN
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...
separately from ''X. udzungwensis''.[
]
Notes
References
External links
BirdLife Species Factsheet
{{Taxonbar, from=Q27074586
Rubeho forest partridge
The Rubeho forest partridge (''Xenoperdix obscuratus'') is a small, approximately long, boldly barred, brownish partridge with rufous face, grey underparts, and olive-brown crown and upperparts. It has a red bill, brown iris, and yellow legs. B ...
Endemic birds of Tanzania
Rubeho forest partridge
The Rubeho forest partridge (''Xenoperdix obscuratus'') is a small, approximately long, boldly barred, brownish partridge with rufous face, grey underparts, and olive-brown crown and upperparts. It has a red bill, brown iris, and yellow legs. B ...
Taxobox binomials not recognized by IUCN