Swamp Francolin
Ortygornis gularis
Brown francolin with an orange throat and white-striped underparts. Shows rufous outer tail feathers and primaries in flight. Favors wet, marshy habitats such as flooded fields, wetland edges, and paddyfield plantations. Often difficult to see in tall vegetation, but emerges into the open in the early morning and late evening, usually foraging in small flocks. Gives loud gull-like “kree-ree!”, often in chorus.
Identification
From Frank Finn's The Game Birds of India & Asia (1911):<p>This species is easily distinguished from most of our partridges by its large size and comparatively long legs; as in the last species, the sexes are alike in plumage, but the cock is easily distinguishable by his spurs. The upper plumage is brown barred with buff, and the outer tail-feathers chestnut, as in the grey partridge; but the throat is bright rust-red, and the rest of the under-parts brown longitudinally streaked with white. The bill is blackish, the eyes dark, and the feet dull red. The cock of this species, which is a little larger than the hen, will measure fifteen inches, though his tail is only a little over four; the wing is more than seven inches, and the shank two-and-a-quarter.<p>The swamp partridge, as its name implies, has a habitat quite different from our other species, affecting high grass and cane-brakes near the edges of rivers and jheels, though it will come into cultivated ground to feed. It haunts the alluvial plains of the Ganges and Brahmaputra, extending from Pilibhit to the extremity of Assam and Cachar, and even occurs occasionally on the Khasi plateau; but it is not found in the Sundarbans. Very little is known about its breeding, but on two occasions five eggs of the species have been taken in April; they were cream-coloured and slightly speckled.<p>Owing to the localities which it frequents, the swamp partridge is usually shot from elephants; but Blanford states that he has shot it on foot near Colgong, in grass only three or four feet high. He says it much resembles the common grey partridge in its edible qualities, as it also does in its call ; and it is equally pugnacious. Mr Hume, in the "Game-birds of India," falls foul of his artist for representing this species standing in water like a wading-bird. No doubt the draughtsman represented it thus in ignorance, but it would be interesting to know if this, one of the very few swamp-haunting birds in the pheasant family, ever does voluntarily go into water in the wild state. The keeper of the aviary in which a specimen of this species was confined in the London Zoo told me that he had seen it standing in water.<p>
Taxonomy
It was formerly classified in the genus Francolinus, but phylogenetic analyses indicates that it groups with the crested francolin (O. sephaena) and grey francolin (O. pondicerianus). All three species were reclassified in the genus Ortygornis.
- Scientific name
- Ortygornis gularis
- Authority
- (Temminck, 1815)
- Order
- Galliformes
- Family
- Phasianidae
- Genus
- Ortygornis
Range and habitat
The Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve in Nepal represents the western limit of its distribution.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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A tiny brown flycatcher with an orange throat, a conspicuous orange mark between bill and eyes, a chestnut tail, and a white belly. Inhabits dense understory of montane forest within its small range in southwest Sulawesi. Differs from female Snowy-browed Flycatcher in its chestnut tail and brighter, clean-cut throat patch. Separated from female Rufous-throated Flycatcher by brown head and nape and larger orange patch between bill and eye. Song comprises several high-pitched whistles, “too-tee-too”, sometimes interspersed with or followed by a short rattle. Also gives dry, rattling “chep” calls.
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Brown parrot with yellow-and-red belly and deep blue face, typically found in dry inland habitats in eastern Australia. Multiple subspecies vary in the color of their wing patch, belly, and undertail. Usually seen in small groups, this species is often hard to approach and is easily flushed. In flight, the blue wings and red shoulders contrast with pale brown back. Distinguished from the similar but smaller Naretha Bluebonnet by presence of red on belly.
Straw-tailed Whydah
Vidua fischeri
A nest parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of Purple Grenadiers. As with other whydahs, breeding males are spectacular, whereas non-breeding males and females are drab. Breeding males are mostly black, with golden-buff coloring on the cap, the belly, and the elongated central tail feathers. Non-breeding males and females have a brownish back, a golden-buff head, and a red bill. Found in rather dry savanna and cultivated areas. Non-breeding male and female can be identified by their red bill and their almost unmarked plain buff head. Not very vocal, but does imitate Purple Grenadier, and gives a quick jumble of high-pitched whistled notes.
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