Sri Lanka Spurfowl Galloperdix bicalcarata Scientific name definitions
- LC Least Concern
- Names (19)
- Monotypic
Text last updated September 15, 2017
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Species names in all available languages
Language | Common name |
---|---|
Catalan | perdiu d'esperons de Sri Lanka |
Czech | kur dvouostruhý |
Dutch | Ceylondwergfazant |
English | Sri Lanka Spurfowl |
English (United States) | Sri Lanka Spurfowl |
French | Galloperdrix de Ceylan |
French (France) | Galloperdrix de Ceylan |
German | Ceylonspornhuhn |
Japanese | セイロンケズメシャコ |
Norwegian | dråpesporehøne |
Polish | kuropatwiak cejloński |
Russian | Цейлонская шпорцевая курица |
Serbian | Mala kokoš sa Šri Lanke |
Slovak | bažantík perlavý |
Spanish | Faisancillo de Ceilán |
Spanish (Spain) | Faisancillo de Ceilán |
Swedish | ceylonsporrhöna |
Turkish | Benekli Horoz Kekliği |
Ukrainian | Куріпка-шпороніг цейлонська |
Galloperdix bicalcarata (Forster, 1781)
Definitions
- GALLOPERDIX
- bicalcarata / bicalcaratum / bicalcaratus
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Field Identification
30–35·5 cm (1); male 312–368 g, female 200–312 g. Male unmistakable, with chestnut rear body and wings, black-and-white streaks on mantle, scapulars and wing-coverts, and boldly white-spotted black foreparts . Female differs from other Galloperdix (all of which are wholly allopatric) by combination of rich chestnut ground colour, grey-brown head (darkest on crown) and white throat. Only possible confusion is with female Gallus lafayettii, but latter species is dumpier than spurfowl, with barred wings and streaked body plumage (1). Bare parts: bill red (paler in female), irides yellow-brown to red-brown, bare skin around eye red (paler in female) and legs red (again paler in female); male has 2–3 obvious spurs, female one, occasionally two (1). Juvenile similar to adults, but darker with some rufous spots above, and young male has fewer, larger white markings than adult.
Systematics History
Subspecies
Distribution
Sri Lanka, principally in S (N to environs of Trincomalee on E coast).
Habitat
Undisturbed tall-forest areas in moist situations up to 2100 m (2); only occasionally found in drier areas of E & S Sri Lanka (1).
Movement
Sedentary. When alarmed, dodges between pieces of cover; runs very fast, flying only when hard pressed and rarely any distance. Normally walks with high-stepping strut (1).
Diet and Foraging
Seeds and berries, termites and other insects; particularly favours Strobilanthes seeds during flowering years. Scratches in leaf litter for food (1). Typically observed in pairs or small family parties (1).
Sounds and Vocal Behavior
Male territorial call , given periodically throughout the morning, is a very gradually rising, ringing series of three notes at rate of 4–5 notes/second, each of them trisyllabic “yuhuhu, yuhuhu, yuhuhu, yuhuhu, yuhuhu, yuhuheeyu”, with the final note uttered on the same pitch as the first; neighbouring males frequently answer (1), and female joins in with short rising series of nervous couplets or triplets that then drop down again to starting pitch, before rising again, at rate of c. 5 notes/second, e.g. “tu’tu’tu, tu’tu ... CHINK-CHINK-CHINK-CHINK ... tu’tu’tu...” (2).
Breeding
Season during NE monsoon in Nov–Mar, but breeding also reported in Jul–Sept. Monogamous. Nest a scrape lined with leaves and grass, under rock or bush. Usually two cream or warm buff eggs (1), but up to five; chicks have dark brown down. No further information.
Conservation Status
Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Mace Lande: vulnerable. No recent detailed information on status, but must be declining because forests are disappearing. Difficult to observe; recently found in reasonable numbers in remnant forest near Kudawa in Sinharaja Forest Reserve, and also reasonably frequent in Horton Plains, Uda Walawe and Wasgomuwa National Parks (1). Restricted range; occurs in Sri Lanka Endemic Bird Area. Further survey work required.