The long-billed partridge is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae.
Region
Sundaland
Typical Environment
Occurs in lowland and hill evergreen rainforests of the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra, with strong association to primary and selectively logged dipterocarp forests. It keeps to dense understory, bamboo thickets, and rattan tangles where it forages quietly on the forest floor. The species avoids open habitats and heavily disturbed plantations, making it sensitive to deforestation and fragmentation. Records are typically from remote forest blocks and protected areas.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The long-billed partridge is a shy, ground-dwelling pheasant relative of Southeast Asian rainforests, notable for its unusually long, downcurved bill used to probe leaf litter and soft soil. It is more often detected by its soft, whistled calls than seen. Some authorities have split the Bornean Dulit partridge from this species, reflecting geographic variation and conservation concern.
Temperament
shy and secretive
Flight Pattern
reluctant flier with short rapid wingbeats when flushed
Social Behavior
Usually encountered singly, in pairs, or small family groups skirting dense understory. Nests are shallow ground scrapes hidden in vegetation, with both sexes likely involved in care. Courtship and territory are expressed through soft calls and subtle displays rather than conspicuous visual shows.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of soft, whistled notes, often given at dawn and dusk, carrying gently through dense forest. Calls can be mournful, two- or three-note phrases repeated at intervals, aiding contact between mates.