Arborophila is a bird genus in the family Phasianidae. The genus has the second most members within the Galliformes after Pternistis, although Arborophila species vary very little in bodily proportions with different species varying only in colouration/patterning and overall size. These are fairly small, often brightly marked partridges found in forest of eastern and southern Asia. Some species in this genus have small ranges, and are threatened by habitat loss and hunting.
Taxonomy The genus Arborophila was introduced in 1837 by the English naturalist Brian Houghton Hodgson to accommodate a single species, the hill partridge, which is therefore the type species. The genus name combines the Latin arbor, arboris meaning "tree" with the Ancient Greek philos meaning "-loving".
Species While most species in this genus are highly distinctive and their taxonomic treatment is settled, there are three complexes where the species limits have not been entirely resolved and to various degrees are disputed: A. orientalis–sumatrana–campbelli–rolli complex, A. cambodiana complex, and A. chloropus–merlini–charltonii complex. A. torqueola is always called the hill partridge or common hill-partridge, but in all other species "hill" is often disregarded (for example, A. rufipectus is variously known as the Sichuan hill-partridge or Sichuan partridge). The genus contains 18 species. Image Common name Scientific name Distribution Hill partridge Arborophila torqueola India, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. Sichuan partridge Arborophila rufipectus China Chestnut-breasted partridge Arborophila mandellii Bhutan, Darjeeling, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and south-eastern Tibet White-necklaced or collared partridge Arborophila gingica China (Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Guangdong and Guangxi.) Rufous-throated partridge Arborophila rufogularis Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam Red-billed partridge Arborophila rubrirostris Sumatra, Indonesia. Chestnut-headed partridge Arborophila cambodiana Cambodia. Hainan partridge Arborophila ardens Hainan Island, China. Taiwan partridge Arborophila crudigularis Taiwan White-cheeked partridge Arborophila atrogularis India, northern Myanmar, and northeast Bangladesh Bar-backed partridge Arborophila brunneopectus Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam Orange-necked partridge Arborophila davidi Cambodia Red-breasted or Bornean partridge Arborophila hyperythra Borneo Malayan partridge Arborophila campbelli Peninsular Malaysia. Roll's partridge Arborophila rolli Sumatra, Indonesia. Sumatran partridge Arborophila sumatrana Sumatra, Indonesia. Chestnut-bellied partridge Arborophila javanica Java. Grey-breasted or white-faced partridge Arborophila orientalis eastern Java, Indonesia.
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