Class: AVES

Order: GALLIFORMES

Family: PHASIANIDAE

Genus: ARBOROPHILA

Species: GINGICA

This species of small ground-dwelling bird belongs to the genus Arborophila, which it shares with some 20 other species known as ‘hill-partridges’; all found in areas of South-East Asia. This species is found in areas of South-eastern China – as north as the Jiangsu province; and as south as Guizhou. Its closest relative; of which it seems to have diverged from some 5 million years ago, is the Rufous-throated Partridge, A. rufogularis; which is found as west as Northern India, and as East as Vietnam. A considerable amount of that species’ range occurs within the country of Myanmar. Two subspecies are known – A. g. gingica, the nominate sub-species – and A. g. guangxiensis, described in 2008; and found in Guangxi of South-central China.

The collared-hill partridge is a striking bird – with a white brow above the eye, a ruddy crown and yellow chin which is streaked with black markings. The upper portion of its neck is black; with a white ‘collar’ of variable size which sits above a larger ruddy-coloured collar. It is for this reason that it is also sometimes called the ‘white-necklaced partridge’. It has a colouring which is reminiscent of the king quail – with a greyish belly and brown dorsal; contrasted by ruddy wing-tips and nearby such feathers. The legs are red. The partridge weighs about 250 grammes, and is up to 30 centimetres in length.

The hill-partridges are so-named for their inhabitance of areas of high elevation – the collared hill-partridge being found mainly on the floors of forested, foothillish regions – in Longqishan it can be found as low as 900 metres a.b.s, typical of the species. and as high as 1200 metres; but has been reported at a maximum altitude of 1700 metres; with zoologists believing that it may exist even higher at 1900 metres. An altitude that is displaced by its closest relative – which is found as high as 2600 metres. The entirety of the residency of this species is not believed to exceed 520,000 square kilometres in size – with different areas having different densities of population. In Guangdong this is 0.31 individuals for every square kilometre – where in Fujian’s Jiangle it is as many as 10 individuals in a square kilometre. This could be a result of different habitat or altitude – or merely the effort of observers. Most of this species’ range is inhabited also by broadleaf trees; which may be some 3 metres in height; though the species is also found in bamboo forest and scrub.

For much of the day, the collared-hill partridge remains well-camouflaged amongst leaves and grasses on the forest floor. Little has been documented about the species as it lives in a natural state, but is believed to be omnivorous similar to other species, feeding on seeds, insects, and fallen berries. At night-time, birds go to roost in a communal tree. If its social habits are similar to those of its closest relatives, then it travels in groups, referred to as ‘coveys’, which number from 5 to 10 in size. Details on predation have not been documented; but eggs are possibly eaten by wild boars and rats; and grown animals may be fed on by feral cats and foxes. The call, like that of other partridges, and especially the Necklaced hill-partridge, is somewhat plaintive; a rising ‘woop’ which is repeated consistently, or a ‘co-quee’ if the bird is singing in duet. In the wild the species breeds from April until May; though in captive individuals kept within China breeding has been observed from February until August.

If the nesting habits of this species are similar to this to which it is most closely related to, then its nest is likely not of intricacy – a small cup-shaped mound of grasses, leaves, and such foliage. It lays a clutch of up to 7; which are incubated for 23 days. In captivity they seem to live up to 10 years at maximum.

Until 2012, the species was considered by the IUCN to be of ‘vulnerable’ status – but as of that year’s re-assession it was found to be more widely-distributed than previously thought – in turn increasing the population estimates to 20,000 as maximum; so now it is considered ‘near threatened’. The species is primely threatened by impeding habitat destruction; and is also additionally threatened by hunting, as sometimes occurs. As much forest cover has been destroyed, the remaining populations have now become fragmented, with the population believed to undergo gradual decline. The species, however, is subject to breeding programmes in captivity not only in China but Europe and other areas of Asia. At time of writing, Chester and London Zoo of the United Kingdom, as representative selection, hold the species – as do Berlin Zoo of Germany, and ‘Bird Paradise’ of Singapore.