Arborophila rufipectus
SUBFAMILY
Phasianinae (Tribe Perdicini)
TAXONOMY
Arboriphila rufipectus Boulton, 1932, west Sichuan, China. Monotypic.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Boulton's hill-partridge, Sichuan partridge; French: Torquéole de Boulton; German: Boultonbuschwachtel; Spanish: Arborófila de Sichuán.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
12 in (29–31 cm); male 14–17 oz (410–470 g); female 12–13 oz (350–380 g). Distinguished from the common hill-partridge by a white throat and russet breast patch.
DISTRIBUTION
China: Southern Sichuan and adjacent northern Yunnan within a fragmented range.
HABITAT
Primary subtropical broadleaf forest, and adjacent disturbed or broadleaf plantation areas, with relatively open understory, at 3,600–7,400 ft (1,100–2,250 m).
BEHAVIOR
Pairs in spring, with family parties staying together only until late fall.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Seeds and fruits from forest floor and shrubs, some invertebrates.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Breeding pairs widely separated, probably monogamous; nests concealed among tree roots in April–May; clutch size five to six.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Endangered; threatened by clear-felling of primary forest, agricultural encroachment, bamboo-shoot collection and livestock browsing; only in one small protected area.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.
