Hill Partridge Arborophila torqueola Scientific name definitions

28–30 cm (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); male 325–430 g (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), female 227–386 g (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Head pattern distinctive. Female differs mainly on crown and throat; lacks male's head pattern and neckband; breast and flanks are brownish grey, spotted and streaked white (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Iris brown to chestnut-brown, orbital skin dusky pink to crimson (brightest in breeding male), bill dusky brown to blackish (darkest in male) and legs olive-brown to blackish (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Juvenile male resembles adult, but lacks eyestripe and rufous underparts markings (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), and has underparts spotted white. Races separated on neck and underpart patterns: <em>millardi</em> intergrades with nominate, but male generally has darker chestnut crown, is paler grey below and has rufous belly, while female has paler chestnut throat and rufous wash to underparts; <em>batemani</em> is generally darker than nominate and millardi, with male having belly and neck-sides almost entirely chestnut and throat/neck more heavily white-spotted, and both sexes more extensively rufous below; and male griseata has crown/nape more rufous-chestnut than previous race, as well as almost slate-coloured breast and greyer upperparts (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Evergreen forest and scrub, usually between 1500 m and 3000 m, but higher and lower in some areas (to 600 m and 4000 m) (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); occurs in particularly heavy hill forest with streams and dense undergrowth, but prefers oak forest with mix of laurel and rhododendron (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), especially in ravines and on steep slopes (2 Spierenburg, P. (2005). Birds in Bhutan: Status and Distribution. Oriental Bird Club, Bedford, UK. Close ). In Sichuan, mainly sites at 2400–2900 m, with east-facing slopes, close to water resources and roads; the utilized sites have greater tree and shrub cover, and less bamboo than randomly available (3 Liao, W.B., Hu, J.C. and Li, C. (2007). Habitat utilization during the pairing season by the Common Hill Partridge Arborophila torqueola in Baiposhan Natural Reserve, Sichuan, China. Ornithological Science. 6(2): 87–94. Close ).

No altitudinal movements definitely reported, but in Bhutan not recorded above 3000 m in winter (to 3600 m, exceptionally 3900 m in summer), although this may simply reflect the lack of vocalizing outside the breeding season (2 Spierenburg, P. (2005). Birds in Bhutan: Status and Distribution. Oriental Bird Club, Bedford, UK. Close ). Prefers to escape by running, but if flushed flies strongly between trees.

Seeds, shoots, berries, insects and small molluscs; also larvae (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Scratches for food amongst leaf litter, foraging in groups of 5–10 birds (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

Most vocal early morning and evening (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Advertising call is far-carrying (audible over 1 km), smoothly rising and mournful “whoop” repeated every c. 3 seconds and lasts c. 1·5 seconds; some individual variation, occasionally giving ascending series of 2–3 “whoop” notes repeated 3–4 times and ending abruptly (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Apparent duets are seemingly led by female, which gives “kwikwikwikwikwik”, to which male quickly answers with series of ascending, mellow double whistles that end in crescendo (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) and last 3–6 seconds (4 Rasmussen, P. C., and J. C. Anderton (2005). Birds of South Asia: the Ripley Guide. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Close ). Contact calls consist of single, whistled notes, given rapidly and often very quietly (4 Rasmussen, P. C., and J. C. Anderton (2005). Birds of South Asia: the Ripley Guide. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. Close ).

Considered to be monogamous (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Season Apr–Jul in India, earlier at lower altitudes; Feb–May in race batemani. Nest varies from a scrape to a deep cup, lined with grass, in forest undergrowth or bamboo (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); one nest of race millardi was in a hole scraped out in a bank, domed over with grass. Lays 3–5 white (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) eggs (up to 9); incubation apparently 24 days, in captivity; chicks have chestnut and dark brown down on upperparts, pale buff underparts, with a dark brown band on breast.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Considered fairly common in Nepal. No information on abundance or trends in Indian Subcontinent, other than density of 14·5–17 individuals/km² at Pipar Pheasant Reserve and 13·7 individuals/km² at Santel (both Nepal) (5 Mahato, N.K., Poudyal, L.P., Subedi, P. and Singh, P.B. (2006). 2005 spring survey of Galliformes in Pipar Reserve and of Santel, Annapurna Conservation Area, central Nepal. World Pheasant Association report, Fordingbridge, UK. Close , 6 Poudyal, L.P., Mahato, N.K., Singh, P.B., Subedi, P., Baral, H.S. and McGowan, P.J.K. (2009). Status of Galliformes in Pipar Pheasant Reserve and Santel, Annapurna, Nepal. Int. Journal Galliform Conserv. 1: 49–55. Close ), that species was reported to be fairly common in Sikkim in 1960s, and likely to be stable in Bhutan. Very common in Burma in late 1940s; considered rare in China. No information available on actual or potential threats, but species probably declining due to habitat loss and degradation; unlikely to be threatened in Bhutan. The species does not appear to be a target for hunters, at least in W Himalayas (7 Kaul, R., Jandrotia, H.J.S. and McGowan, P.J.K. (2004). Hunting of large mammals and pheasants in the Indian western Himalaya. Oryx. 38(4): 426–431. Close ).