Sri Lanka spurfowl
Sri Lanka spurfowl | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Galliformes |
Family: | Phasianidae |
Genus: | Galloperdix |
Species: | G. bicalcarata
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Binomial name | |
Galloperdix bicalcarata (Forster, 1781)
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The Sri Lanka spurfowl (Galloperdix bicalcarata) is a member of the
It is a very secretive
This spurfowl is one of three
Sri Lanka spurfowl is ~ 37 cm long bird. Both sexes have brown upperparts, wings and tail.
The males exhibit vivid crimson red legs and bare facial skin and striking black and white dorsal plumage that extends to its head. There is also extensive white ocellation on the sepia wings and upperback.
The legs of both sexes have multiple metatarsal spurs, which give rise to the specific name. The female has chestnut underparts and a plain brown back and wings. She is more prominently crested than the male.
Sri Lanka spurfowl is a seasonally terrestrial species, like most of its near relatives. It scratches vigorously amongst the
In culture
This spurfowl appears in a one rupee Sri Lankan postal stamp.[3]
References
- . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ Anonymous (1998). "Vernacular Names of the Birds of the Indian Subcontinent" (PDF). Buceros. 3 (1): 53–109. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-04-01.
- ^ "Birds on stamps: Sri Lanka".
- Birds of India by Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, ISBN 0-691-04910-6