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Perdicinae
Perdicinae is a polyphyletic former subfamily of birds in the pheasant family, Phasianidae, regrouping the partridges, Old World quails, and francolins. Although this subfamily was considered monophyletic and separated from the pheasants, tragopans, junglefowls, and peafowls ''(Phasianinae)'' till the early 1990s, molecular phylogenies have shown that these two subfamilies actually constitute only one lineage. For example, some partridges ( Perdix genus) are more closely affiliated to pheasants, whereas Old World quails and partridges from the Alectoris genus are closer to junglefowls. Due to this, the subfamily Perdicinae is no longer recognized by the International Ornithological Congress, with the species being split among 3 subfamilies. Perdicinae is a non-migratory Old World group. These are medium-sized birds, and are native to Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. They are ground-nesting seed-eaters. The subfamily includes the partridges, the snowcocks, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pheasant
Pheasants ( ) are birds of several genera within the family Phasianidae in the order Galliformes. Although they can be found all over the world in introduced (and captive) populations, the pheasant genera's native range is restricted to Eurasia. The classification "pheasant" is paraphyletic, as birds referred to as pheasants are included within both the subfamilies Phasianinae and Pavoninae, and in many cases are more closely related to smaller phasianids, grouse, and turkey (formerly classified in Perdicinae, Tetraoninae, and Meleagridinae) than to other pheasants. Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly decorated with bright colours and adornments such as wattles. Males are usually larger than females and have longer tails. Males play no part in rearing the young. A pheasant's call or cry can be recognised by the fact it sounds like a rusty sink or valve being turned. Pheasants eat mostly seeds, grains, roots, and berries, while in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tropicoperdix
''Tropicoperdix'' is a genus of three species of birds in the pheasant family, Phasianidae. Although formerly classified in the now-defunct subfamily Perdicinae Perdicinae is a polyphyletic former subfamily of birds in the pheasant family, Phasianidae, regrouping the partridges, Old World quails, and francolins. Although this subfamily was considered monophyletic and separated from the pheasants, tra ..., phylogenetic evidence supports them being a sister group to the tribe Polyplectronini. They are referred to as East Asian forest partridges. Species * Chestnut-necklaced partridge, ''Tropicoperdix charltonii'' * Sabah partridge, ''Tropicoperdix graydoni'' * Green-legged partridge, ''Tropicoperdix chloropus'' References * Tropicoperdix Bird genera Birds of Southeast Asia Birds described in 1859 Taxa named by Edward Blyth {{Galliformes-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rhizothera
''Rhizothera'' is a bird genus in the family Phasianidae, native to Malaysia and Indonesia. They are the only genus in the tribe Rhizotherini. Established by George Robert Gray in 1841, it contains the following species: * Long-billed partridge (''Rhizothera longirostris'') * Dulit partridge (''Rhizothera dulitensis'') The name ''Rhizothera'' is constructed of two Greek words: ''rhiza'', meaning "root" and ''-thēras'', meaning "-hunter". Although their taxonomic relationships were formerly a mystery, with some taxonomists placing them with the more basal genera such as '' Arborophila'' and '' Xenoperdix'' that were formerly classified within the paraphyletic "Perdicinae Perdicinae is a polyphyletic former subfamily of birds in the pheasant family, Phasianidae, regrouping the partridges, Old World quails, and francolins. Although this subfamily was considered monophyletic and separated from the pheasants, tra ..." (this basal group is now known as Rollulinae), more rec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pternistis
''Pternistis'' is a genus of galliform birds formerly classified in the spurfowl group of the partridge subfamily of the pheasant family. They are described as "partridge-francolins" in literature establishing their phylogenetic placement outside the monophyletic assemblage of true spurfowls. All species are endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa, excepted the double-spurred spurfowl (also present in Morocco). They are commonly known as spurfowls or francolins, but are closely related to jungle bush quail, ''Alectoris'' rock partridges, and ''Coturnix'' quail. The species are strictly monogamous, remaining mated indefinitely. They procure most of their food by digging. Spurfowls subsist almost entirely on roots, beans of leguminous shrubs and trees, tubers, and seeds, and feasting opportunistically on termites, ants, locusts, flowers, and fruit. Important predators are jackals, caracals, servals, and birds of prey, as well as herons and marabou storks. Taxonomy The genus ''Pternist ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ophrysia
The Himalayan quail (''Ophrysia superciliosa'') or mountain quail, is a medium-sized quail belonging to the pheasant family. It was last reported in 1876 and is feared extinct. This species was known from only 2 locations (and 12 specimens) in the western Himalayas in Uttarakhand, north-west India. The last verifiable record was in 1876 near the hill station of Mussoorie. Description The red bill and legs of this small dark quail and white spots before and after the eye make it distinctive. The male is dark grey with bleak streaks and a white forehead and supercilium. The female is brownish with dark streaks and greyish brow. Like the male it has a white spot in front of the eye and a larger one behind the eye. It is believed to fly only when flushed at close quarters and was found in coveys of five or six. The habitat was steep hillsides covered by long grass. The genus name is derived from ''Ophrys'' which refers the brow. This quail has long tail coverts and the 10 feathere ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Polyphyly
A polyphyletic group is an assemblage that includes organisms with mixed evolutionary origin but does not include their most recent common ancestor. The term is often applied to groups that share similar features known as homoplasies, which are explained as a result of convergent evolution. The arrangement of the members of a polyphyletic group is called a polyphyly .. ource for pronunciation./ref> It is contrasted with monophyly and paraphyly. For example, the biological characteristic of warm-bloodedness evolved separately in the ancestors of mammals and the ancestors of birds; "warm-blooded animals" is therefore a polyphyletic grouping. Other examples of polyphyletic groups are algae, C4 photosynthetic plants, and edentates. Many taxonomists aim to avoid homoplasies in grouping taxa together, with a goal to identify and eliminate groups that are found to be polyphyletic. This is often the stimulus for major revisions of the classification schemes. Researchers concerned m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tetraophasis
''Tetraophasis'' is a genus of Galliformes in the family Phasianidae, which includes chickens, pheasants, partridges, grouse, turkeys, quail, and peafowl. It contains the following species: * Chestnut-throated monal-partridge or Verreaux's monal-partridge (''Tetraophasis obscurus'') * Buff-throated monal-partridge or Szechenyi's monal-partridge (''Tetraophasis szechenyii'') The name ''Tetraophasis'' is a combination of the genus name ''Tetrao'' (the name Carl Linnaeus gave grouse in 1758), and the modern Latin word ''phasis'', meaning "pheasant". Monal-partridge are close relatives of monals and more distantly related to tragopan. They are boreal adapted species of high altitudes. Like monals they dig in alpine biomes for tubers, rhizomes and invertebrates as well as rodent pups and voles Voles are small rodents that are relatives of lemmings and hamsters, but with a stouter body; a longer, hairy tail; a slightly rounder head; smaller eyes and ears; and differently fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scleroptila
''Scleroptila'' is a genus of birds in the francolin group of the Tribe (biology), tribe Gallini (bird), Gallini of the Phasianidae, pheasant family. Its eight species range through Sub-Saharan Africa. Species The species are: References Further reading * Scleroptila, Bird genera Taxa named by Edward Blyth {{Galliformes-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rollulus
The crested partridge (''Rollulus rouloul''), also known as the crested wood partridge, roul-roul, red-crowned wood partridge, green wood quail, and green wood partridge is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds. It is the Monotypic taxon, only member of the genus ''Rollulus''. This small partridge is a resident breeder in lowland rainforests in south Burma, south Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo. Its nest is a ground scrape lined with leaves, which is concealed under a heap of leaf litter. Five or six white Bird egg, eggs are incubated for 18 days. Unusually for a Galliformes, galliform species, the young are fed bill-to-bill by both parents instead of pecking from the ground, and although precoces, precocial, they roost in the Bird nest, nest while small. The crested partridge is a rotund short-tailed bird, in length, with the male marginally larger than the female. Both sexes have a scarlet patch of bare skin around ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Perdix
''Perdix'' is a genus of Galliformes, Galliform gamebirds known collectively as the 'true partridges'. These birds are unrelated to the subtropical species that have been named after the partridge due to similar size and Morphology (biology), morphology. Taxonomy The genus ''Perdix'' was introduced by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760 with the grey partridge (''Perdix perdix'') as the type species. The genus name is Latin for "partridge", which is itself derived from Ancient Greek ''‘πέρδιξ’ (pérdīx)''. They are closely related to grouse, koklass, quail and pheasants. This genus contains three extant species: Some prehistoric species have been identified: * ''Perdix margaritae'' Kurochkin, 1985 * ''Perdix palaeoperdix'' Mourer-Chauviré, 1975 A prehistoric species only known from fossils was described as ''Perdix palaeoperdix''. Occurring all over southern Europe during the Early–Late Pleistocene, it was a favorite food of the Cro-Magnons ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
