White-cheeked Partridge Arborophila atrogularis Scientific name definitions

c. 25–28 cm; 200–312 g. Distinctive head and neck pattern distinguishes this species from most congeners; grey and brown crown separates from some similar forms of A. orientalis. Narrow whitish supercilium stained yellowish at rear, forehead grey becoming olive-brown on forecrown, nape and neck-sides orange-yellow streaked black, cheeks white, tinged buff, throat and malar black, joining black eyestripe, encircling bare red periorbital skin and extending narrowly on rear ear-coverts to join black of throat, upper breast whitish streaked black, rest of underparts grey becoming whitish on central belly, flanks with white teardrop markings, undertail-coverts rufous with white edges and black spotting, mantle to rump/uppertail-coverts olive-brown, with narrow black fringes, scapulars with chestnut fringes, wing feathers golden-brown, and tertials and wing-coverts have black inner webs and rufous outer webs. Bare parts: bill black, irides brown, bare periorbital skin pink or red (bright red in breeding season), legs dull orange to bright red (male, brightest when breeding) or dull yellow (female, but can be tinged red when breeding); female also smaller. Juvenile apparently undescribed, though considered to be rather similar to adult.

Occurs from foothills up to 1700 m in evergreen forest, scrub, tea plantations and bamboo; even found in grassland and cultivation adjacent to forest cover. Recorded in dense swamp forest in Nameri National Park, Assam (1 Barua, M., and P. Sharma (2005). The birds of Nameri National Park, Assam, India. Forktail 21:15–26. Close ). Primarily found below 750 m in India.

Very little information available. Believed to feed on seeds of weeds, as well as berries, shoots and assorted invertebrates. Forages in rather scattered coveys of 5–8 birds.

Song , similar to A. brunneopectus, a series of repeated, mellow, double whistled notes “weah-huuu...weah-huuu...weah-huuu...”, the first note over-slurred, the second flat and lower in pitch. Partner (the presumed female) may join in with a long series of more rapid, monotonous and sharply downslurred notes, “kew-kew-kew-kew...”. Also a series of burry whistles, gradually swelling and slightly rising in pitch, before ending abruptly. After flushing and scattering, the covey remains in contact by uttering a soft, mellow whistle (2 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Not globally threatened. Currently considered Near Threatened. Considered safe mainly because of fairly large range, but situation may be more serious than is anticipated at present. In India, very little recent information, but formerly considered to be commoner at lower altitudes, which may now be more disturbed; known from the protected area of Dampa Tiger Reserve and Ngengpui Wildlife Sanctuary, in Mizoram (3 Choudhury, A. (2016). Mizoram, north-east India: where to go and what you might see. BirdingASIA. 26: 99–106. Close ). Several records from estates in NE Bangladesh, but now believed only rare visitor where once was more frequent; may still occur in SE hill forest. Common in foothills below 1300 m in Myanmar up to 1940s at least, but no recent information beyond the observation of a record in Nov 1999 (4 King, B., Buck, H., Ferguson, R., Fisher, T., Goblet, C., Nickel, H. and Suter, W. (2001). Birds recorded during two expeditions to north Myanmar (Burma). Forktail 17:29–40. Close ). Quite rare within its very small range in S China, with a pair reported in 1995 being the first record for many years (2 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Main threats are to its habitat, especially as the species inhabits lower slopes of hills. More detailed and up-to-date information is required on this species.