Partridges, Quails, Buttonquails

Barred Buttonquail

Sexes alike. Female slightly larger. Distinctive white eye; dark brown crown; black speck on white sides of head; back speckled with white, black and brown. Pale buff on wing shoulders seen in flight diagnostic.

Rock Bush Quail

The male is similar to the Jungle but has white underparts heavily barred with black, a rufous stripe above pale eyebrows, vermiculated beige and black  underparts and pale undertail coverts. The female has a plain rufous face, whitish chin and pale supercilium. Habits: Similar to Jungle.

Rain Quail

Smaller than the Japanese and Common Quail, the male has a very noticeable stripe on the crown and supercilium with a black and white pattern on the head and neck, a black ‘anchor’ mark on the throat and a prominent black patch on the breast. A black border highlights the white neck. The flanks are streaked with black. The female is very similar to the female Common, except that it has no barring on the primaries. Found in small coveys. Builds shallow, grass-lined nests in standing crops.

Painted Francolin

A profusely spotted medium-sized game bird. Male has a chestnut head, beige-edged dark brown upperparts with a finely striped black and white rump and tail. Neck and underparts densely spotted with white. Female is similar to the male, but paler on the head. Extremely shy and secretive and not easily flushed.  Rarely flies. Active at twilight or just before dawn.

Black Francolin

Male: jet-black, spotted and marked white and fulvous; white cheeks; chestnut collar, belly and under tail-coverts. Female: browner where male is black; rufous nuchal patch; no white cheeks or chestnut collar. Solitary or small parties in high grass and edges of canals; emerges in the open in the early mornings;  sometimes cocks tail.

Grey Francolin

Sexes alike. Grey-brown and rufous above, barred and blotched; buffy-rufous below; narrow cross-bars on throat and upper breast; fine black markings on abdomen and flanks; black loop around throat encloses bright rufous-yellow throat; female smaller, with indistinct spur. Small parties, digging and moving amidst scrub and grass; seen on country roads, dust bathing or feeding; quick to take to cover on being alarmed, scattering over the area.

Indian Peafowl

Glistening blue neck and breast; wire-like crest and very long tail distinctive. Female  lacks blue neck and breast; browner plumage; lacks the long train. Familiar bird of India; solitary or in small parties, several feales with one or more males; waryin the forested parts, rather tame and confiding in many parts of W
and C India around human habitation; ever-alert, gifted with keen eyesight and hearing. National bird of India. Tail feathers often illegally sold to tourists