Partridges, Quails, Francolins, Snowcocks, Guineafowl, and Turkeys

Conservation: It is known to occur in at least six protected
areas: Taman Negara and Krau Wildlife Reserve
(Peninsular Malaysia), Kinabalu National Park (Sabah),
Gunung Mulu National Park (Sarawak), Tanjung Puting
National Park and Gunung Palung Nature Reserve
(Kalimantan), and Berbak Game Reserve (Sumatra). It
also occurs in Pasoh Reserve Forest in Peninsular Malaysia
(McGowan et al. 1995).
Targets:
• Identify and record its vocalisations to aid field
surveys.
• Identify remaining suitable habitat tracts, and conduct
extensive field surveys and village interviews within
these areas to clarify its current distribution and
population status.
• Conduct research into its ecological and habitat
requirements.
• Advocate protection of further areas following surveys,
if necessary.
• Afford the species full protection under Indonesian and
Malaysian law.
Manipur bush-quail
(Perdicula manipurensis)
Vulnerable A1c,d; A2c,d; C1; C2a
This poorly known species’ specialised habitat is undergoing
a continuing rapid decline and severe fragmentation. In
addition, there have been no confirmed records of the bird
since 1932, indicating it may have a small population. These
factors, combined with ongoing hunting pressures across its
range, qualify it as Vulnerable.
Range and population: The Manipur bush-quail is endemic
to northern West Bengal, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur,
and Meghalaya, northeast India, its range apparently
previously extending into Chittagong, Chittagong Hill
Tracts, and Sylhet Districts, Bangladesh (Karim 1982,
Khan 1982). Described historically as local but not very
rare, the species was documented as declining in Manipur
by the 1930s (Higgins 1933-1934). There are no recent
records, just one unconfirmed report from Dibru-Saikhowa
Wildlife Sanctuary, India, in March 1998 (Allen 1998). If
it does occur in Bangladesh, any remaining populations
must be small.
Ecology: A probable resident, it inhabits damp grassland,
particularly stands of tall grass, and sometimes bogs and
swamps, from the foothills up to about 1,000m (Ripley
1982). Historical records indicate that it was generally
encountered in small groups of 4–12, and was shy, reluctant
to fly and extremely difficult to observe, although covies
were occasionally seen feeding in the open on recently
burnt ground (Turner 1899, Wood 1899). The few available
data indicate that it breeds between January and May.
Threats: Drainage and destruction of tall grasslands to
meet the demands of an exploding human population has
been extensive in Manipur and Bangladesh, presumably
greatly reducing and fragmenting available habitat. Any
extensive patches of elephant grass that might remain in
Bangladesh are inundated for two-thirds of the year and
thus unlikely to support significant populations. Its habit
of running in tightly knit groups when fleeing disturbance
makes it easy to kill several birds with a single shot, a
factor that likely contributed to its decline during the 20th
century (R. Kaul in litt.). A dramatic rise in hunting levels
across its range, particularly in Bangladesh, probably also
contributed.
Conservation: No conservation measures are known to
have been taken. It is not known to occur in any protected
areas, and surveys for it in the border regions of Manipur,
Nagaland, and the Chittagong Hill Tracts have been
precluded due to security problems (P. Thompson in litt.).
Targets:
• Identify and survey any remaining suitable habitat in or
near known localities in Manipur and Assam.
• Investigate its occurrence in Bangladesh.
• Afford protection to any areas of grassland found to
support populations at the earliest opportunity.
Udzungwa forest-partridge
(Xenoperdix udzungwensis)
Vulnerable D2
This species qualifies as vulnerable because, although it is
known from only four locations, its small population is
inferred to be stable as three of the locations lie within
protected areas, and, currently, no major factors appear to
threaten it. Nevertheless, any indication of a continuing
decline would result in its immediate classification as
Endangered.
Range and population: The Udzungwa forest-partridge is
endemic to Tanzania, being known only from the eastern
Udzungwa Highlands (Mt. Luhombero (T. Butynski in
litt.), and the Ndundulu and Nyamanitu Mountains
(Dinesen et al. 1994)) and the northern Rubeho Mountains
(Mafwemiro Forest) (Fjeldså in prep.), about 150km to
the north. It seems genuinely absent from the rest of the
Udzungwa Highlands and from Image Forest, but may
occur in the unexplored Gologolo Mountains (Fjeldså in
prep., D. Moyer and E.A. Mulungu in litt.). Its area of
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