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Crested wood partridge
The crested wood partridge is a small, ground‑dwelling bird native to the lowland rainforests of Southeast Asia. This species is known for its striking sexual dimorphism: males display a glossy metallic green body, dark blue underparts, and a tall red crest, while females have soft pea‑green plumage and a slate‑grey head.
You can find our breeding pair living in the Gems of the Jungle exhibit.
Class:
Aves
Order:
Galliformes
Family:
Phasianidae
About the crested wood partridge
Crested wood partridges live in dense, humid forest understorey and forages among the leaf litter. They feed on fallen fruits, seeds, and a variety of invertebrates, scratching through forest debris to uncover food. They typically move singly or in pairs and prefer to run when startled, taking only short, low flights if necessary. Unusually for galliform birds, both parents feed their chicks bill‑to‑bill and the young, though precocial, continue to roost in the nest while small.
Conservation
The crested wood partridge is currently assessed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Populations across Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia are declining due to extensive lowland forest loss, especially where rainforests are cleared for agriculture such as oil palm plantations.