Barbary Partridge
Rock chicken ( Alectoris barbara )
The rock chicken ( Alectoris barbara ) is a species of bird in the pheasant family -like ( Phasianidae ), which belongs to the order of Galliformes ( Galliformes ).
Appearance
The rock chicken is similar to the Rock Partridge. The most striking distinguishing feature are the throat patch and the supraorbital stripe is light blue gray in this species. The rocks Chicken also has a maroon neck band which is white spotted. Behind the eye there is a long, vertical and pink lining.
The rock chicken is a bottom dweller who blows up only very rarely. It is considered a loner.
Voice
The rock chicken falls most likely to by his calls, which are detectable many miles under favorable conditions. It is a piercing shrill tschruih reputation, which rises in pitch. From the rock chicken should hear a hard and rough Kråik or krelik. The rock chicken takes while ringing a very highly oriented show attitude. The calls sounded at a distance of five seconds. Occasionally call two adjacent rock chickens in exchange.
Area of distribution and habitat
The distribution area of the rock chicken extends from the northern outskirts of the Sahara to the north-western Egypt and Morocco. It also happens to Fuerteventura, Tenerife, Lanzarote and La Gomera, where it was probably introduced by humans. Also occurring in Sardinia population may have been introduced. Within this distribution area four subspecies are described:
- A. b. koeningi: NW- Morocco introduced in the Canary Islands and in S- Spain
- A. b. barbara: N Morocco and Algeria; Sardinia (introduced? )
- A. b. spatzi: S- central Morocco to Algeria and Tunisia S-
- A. b. barbata: Libya and NW Egypt
The species is very adaptable. Subculture country it comes in Euphorbiensteppen in eucalyptus forests and in the mountains before to the snow line. The nest consists of ten to 14 eggs, which are dotted red-brown. Incubation period is 25 days. The young birds stay together with the adult birds until the next breeding season.