Native to South-East Asia, the crested partridge (Rollulus Rouloul) is a bird of the size of a quail, with a sexual dimorphism. The bluish-black male has a rusty crest on the top of his head. The female, meanwhile, is more discreet with its green livery with red wings.
These birds spend a lot of time on the ground, looking for food (insects, fruits, seeds) under the leaves and perching only to sleep.
Subservient to the tropical rainforests, their fate is closely linked to them. Thus, the very rapid conversion of these forests into oil palm plantations rapidly leads to the decline of these timid birds. This threatened species is classified as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The pair of crested partridges arrived at the Zoo des Sables on March 21, from a private breeder. Still very young, the male was born in 2020 and the female in 2021. After a prescribed quarantine period, they were placed in their aviary. They have now adapted very well to their new environment and have even built a nest in which the female has already laid 7 eggs.
