The painted bush quail (Perdicula erythrorhyncha) belongs to the family Phasianidae. The painted bush quails are found in the hill forests of India. There are two recognized subspecies of painted bush quails. The subspecies P. e. erythrorhyncha occurs in the Western Ghats in Maharashtra, Kerala and Tamil Nadu states in India. The subspecies P. e. blewitti occurs in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Odisha.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had categorized and evaluated these bird species and had listed them as of 'Least Concern'.
These quails are small birds measuring 20cm in length and weighing 70-80 grams. They are brightly colored having red bill and legs. The male bird has a black face and white throat. The female has brick red underside. They move in small convoys of 5-10 birds. They inhabit grasslands, bush and scrub forests. They feed on grass, seeds, weeds, grains and insects. The males are monogamous. They normally breed during December to March. The nest is seen to have 4-6 eggs and the female incubates the eggs.
| Biological classification of Perdicula erythrorhyncha | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Galliformes |
| Family: | Phasianidae |
| Subfamily: | Perdicinae |
| Genus: | Perdicula |
| Species: | P. erythrorhyncha |
| Binomial name: | Perdicula erythrorhyncha |
| Distribution: | India |
| Feeding habits: | seeds, insects, roots and leaves; |
| IUCN status listing: | Least Concern |
Current topic in Birds of India: Painted bush quail - Perdicula erythrorhyncha.