Family Pheasants, Partridges, Turkeys, Grouse (Phasianidae)
Least Concern
Arabian Partridge (Alectoris melanocephala)
Taxonomy
French: Perdrix à tête noire German: Schwarzkopf-Steinhuhn Spanish: Perdiz árabe
Taxonomy:
Perdix melanocephala
Rüppell
, 1835,mountains near Jedda, Saudi Arabia
.
Subspecies and Distribution
A. m. melanocephala
(Rüppell, 1835) – S Arabia from Jedda (W Saudi Arabia) S to W & C Yemen, and W Oman (E to Dhofar); apparently isolated population in Jabal Akhdar region, near Muscat (NE Oman), speculated to have been introduced. Recently reported from near Madinah (N Hejaz, CW Saudi Arabia), a considerable range extension. Recent records from Jabal Hafit (Oman–United Arab Emirates border) perhaps involved escapes#R.
A. m. guichardi
(R. Meinertzhagen, 1951) – E Hadramut, in E Yemen.
No acceptable record for Eritrea, where not claimed since 1890 and data may be based on released birds.
Descriptive notes
39–43 cm; male c. 724 g, female c. 522 g. Differs from other Alectoris including partially sympatric (but mainly elevationally parapatric) A. philbyi... read more
Voice
Considered to be generally louder and deeper than other Alectoris: most commonly gives a... read more
Habitat
Stony and somewhat better-vegetated ground in hills, mountains and upland plains, from near sea-... read more
Food and feeding
Feeds on vegetable matter, seeds and invertebrates. Crops contained the grass Schismus barbatus and the herb Gnaphalium... read more
Breeding
Lays late Mar–May in Arabia (pairs form from Feb), but chicks reported Apr–Nov (mostly Jun–Sept); formerly Jul–Aug... read more
Movements
No information available, but presumably sedentary. Escapes potential predators by running uphill. read more
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Mace Lande: safe. Overall population speculated to number 400,000 pairs. Locally common in Saudi Arabia with highest densities in... read more
Distinctive member of genus, sometimes separated as a monotypic subgenus. Perhaps most closely related to A. barbara, with this lineage representing the oldest divergence within the genus#R. Races rather poorly differentiated; species sometimes treated as monotypic. Two subspecies tentatively recognized.