Barbary partridge
| Barbary partridge | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Galliformes |
| Family: | Phasianidae |
| Genus: | Alectoris |
| Species: | A. barbara
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| Binomial name | |
| Alectoris barbara (Bonnaterre, 1790)
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The Barbary partridge (Alectoris barbara) is a gamebird in the pheasant family (Phasianidae) of the order Galliformes. It is native to North Africa.
Distribution
[edit]The Barbary partridge has its main native range in North Africa, and is also native to Gibraltar[2] and the Canary Islands (Alectoris barbara ssp. koenigi).[3] It has been introduced to continental Portugal and Madeira, though there are no recent records of this species on the latter islands. It is also present in Sardinia.
Description
[edit]The Barbary partridge is a rotund bird, with a grey-brown back, grey breast and buff belly. The face is light grey with a broad reddish-brown gorget. It has rufous-streaked white flanks and red legs. When disturbed, it prefers to run rather than fly, but if necessary it flies a short distance on rounded wings.
It is closely related to its western European equivalent, the red-legged partridge. It is similar to the red-legged partridge, but it has a different head and neck pattern. The song is a noisy tre-tre-tre-tre-tre-cheeche-tre-tre-tre.
Breeding
[edit]This 33–36 cm bird is a resident breeder in dry, open and often hilly country. It nests in a scantily lined ground scrape laying 10-16 eggs. A few cases of breeding in trees in empty nest of African Magpie Pica mauretanica have been documented in Tunisia, probably to escape strong predation on the ground.[4]
The Barbary partridge takes a wide variety of seeds and some insect food. It usually starts feeding and drinking at dawn.[5]
The Barbary partridge is the national bird of Gibraltar where it appears on the 1 pence local coins.[6]
Gallery
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Barbary partridge, Gibraltar -
Eggs of Alectoris barbara - MHNT -
Close-up of Barbary partridge
References
[edit]
- ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Alectoris barbara". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22678707A85855433. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22678707A85855433.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ "The Gibraltar Bird List: Bird species observed in or from the territory of Gibraltar". Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society. Archived from the original on 3 July 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-24.
- ^ (in Spanish) Martín P., Cardona A., Avifauna Canaria II, Aves de las Zonas Bajas p 55 Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Ouni R., Ouni H. & Nouira S. (2017). "Two records of arboreal nesting by the BarbaryPartridge Alectoris barbara in Tunisia - Nidification inhabituelles de la perdrix gambra Alectoris barbara barbara dans le centre de la tunisie". Alauda. 85 (3): 229–230.
- ^ Oiseaux.net. "Perdrix gambra - Alectoris barbara - Barbary Partridge". www.oiseaux.net (in French). Retrieved 2023-01-16.
- ^ "Gibraltar's Culture and Customs". Retrieved 3 August 2011.