Mountain Bamboo Partridge

Overview

The mountain bamboo partridge (Bambusicola fytchii) is a bird species in the family Phasianidae. It is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List, although population numbers are appearing to decline.

Identification

• Plumage is a mix of browns, cream, and grey with a pale breast and abdomen featuring brown speckles.
• Distinctive black and white eye stripes are present.

Habitat

This species is found in Bangladesh, Tibet, India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. They inhabit areas close to water, including bamboo scrub forest, tall grassland, and degraded forest areas with bamboo groves.

Diet

The diet primarily consists of tender, young bamboo shoots and fresh, young foliage, supplemented by a wide variety of seeds, berries, shoots, and invertebrates. They forage in the early morning and late evening, moving out from shrub cover to feed.

Did you know?

The binomial name commemorates Major-General Albert Fytche.