Nahan's Partridge

The Nahanfrankolin ( Ptilopachus nahani ) is a species of bird in the family of quail. With a portfolio of 30000-70000 living specimens he has applied since 1988 as an endangered species

Features

The Nahanfrankolin is 23-26 cm long and lives hidden in the forest. His black abdomen is patterned with conspicuous white spots. On the upper body plumage is black and brown mottled. His chin is white, the root of the beak, legs and bare skin around the eyes are red. Neither males nor females carry spores. The young birds are darker overall, only the lower body and the neck are spotted and they have gray legs. The call consists of a rapid succession of double tones, the SEC in speed and volume over a period of 5-20. slowly swells.

Dissemination

The Nahanfrankolin is eastward in the woods in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo Yangambi and based in central and western Uganda in Budongo, Mabira and Bugoma. Recent studies in Uganda showed a population of about 32800-59100 copies. As the forests of his home being destroyed faster and faster, it is assumed that the population of the Nahanfrankolins declining sharply. Both the massive felling for wood extraction and industrialization in the region, as well as hunting by miners who use its meat and its eggs, accelerate the decline of the population. Another big problem is the establishment of exotic tree Broussonetia papyfera, which gradually supplanted the native trees.

Way of life

The Nahanfrankolin lives in primary forests and preferably near rivers swampy areas in the lowlands. In Uganda, he appears both natural as industrially used forests, in mixed forests. Mostly he approaches foraging also the forest edges and even looking treeless surfaces. He prefers, however, to be found in dense undergrowth food. He it feeds mainly on insects, young shoots, seeds and buds. The Nahanfrankolin lives in pairs and defends its territory persistent throughout the year. A particular focus is on the period just before the rainy season. It builds its nest on the ground among the roots of large trees.