Arabian Partridge

Alectoris melanocephala (Rüppell, 1835)

Arabian Partridge, Alectoris melanocephala, is a bird of the southern Arabian Peninsula, breeding in south-west Arabia, Yemen and south-west Oman. It belongs to the pheasant family and was described by Rüppell in 1835. It is larger than other birds in its genus, and the sexes look alike, though males are slightly bigger. The crown and nape are black, with a broad white stripe above the eye and a black line linking the beak to the throat. The legs and beak are pink, and males have a knob on the tarsus.

Order

Galliformes

Family

Phasianidae — Pheasants & Allies

Breeding range

Palearctic: sw Arabia to Yemen and sw Oman