Chinese Bamboo Partridge (Bambusicola thoracicus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Chinese Bamboo Partridge

Bambusicola thoracicus (Temminck, 1815)

≈29 cmLength265 gWeight

A member of the pheasant family in bamboo and scrub south of the Yangtze River, Chinese Bamboo Partridge is also known by the Chinese vernacular name “ni-hua-hua” (onomatopoeic).

Busiest months: May · Most records: China, Japan

Least Concern

How to identify

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: May · Most records: China, Japan

Chinese Bamboo Partridge has been recorded at 321 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 2 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Emei Peak NNRChina220 records
  2. Hangzhou Botanical GardenChina205 records
  3. Beihu MarshlandChina188 records
More places
  1. Jiangyangfan Eco-ParkChina166 records
  2. Yokohama – Maioka ParkJapan157 records
  3. Qinglong LakeChina151 records
  4. South Lake, YuhangChina140 records
  5. Xixi National Wetland ParkChina136 records
  6. Tanshi VillageChina82 records
  7. Siwuling MountainsChina76 records

Countries and regions with the most records

ChinaJapan

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The Chinese bamboo partridge (Bambusicola thoracicus) is a small Galliform bird. It is one of three species in the genus Bambusicola, along with the mountain bamboo partridge of the Himalayas, and the Taiwan (China) bamboo partridge of Taiwan (China). Chinese bamboo partridge is a monotypic species.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Chinese Bamboo Partridge?

The Chinese Bamboo Partridge is about ≈29 cm long and weighs around 265 g.

Where does the Chinese Bamboo Partridge live?

Its breeding range: Oriental: southern China. It is most often recorded in China and Japan.

When is the best time to see the Chinese Bamboo Partridge?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in May (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Chinese Bamboo Partridge endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Chinese Bamboo Partridge as Least Concern.

What does the Chinese Bamboo Partridge eat?

Main food: Omnivore.

What family is the Chinese Bamboo Partridge in?

It belongs to the family Pheasants & Allies (Phasianidae), order Galliformes.

At a glance

Length
≈29 cm
Weight
265 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Omnivore
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
128 mm
Tail
90 mm
Bill
20 mm
Tarsus
37 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Oriental: southern China

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Pheasants & Allies Phasianidae
Genus
Bambusicola

Other birds in the genus Bambusicola

Mountain Bamboo PartridgeMountain Bamboo PartridgeBambusicola fytchiiTaiwan Bamboo PartridgeTaiwan Bamboo PartridgeBambusicola sonorivoxUdzungwa Forest PartridgeUdzungwa Forest PartridgeXenoperdix udzungwensisFerruginous PartridgeFerruginous PartridgeCaloperdix oculeusCrested PartridgeCrested PartridgeRollulus rouloulBlack PartridgeBlack PartridgeMelanoperdix nigerHill PartridgeHill PartridgeArborophila torqueolaSichuan PartridgeSichuan PartridgeArborophila rufipectusChestnut-breasted PartridgeChestnut-breasted PartridgeArborophila mandelliiWhite-necklaced PartridgeWhite-necklaced PartridgeArborophila gingica
Chinese Bamboo Partridge

Download illustration

Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Sun Jiao (Interaccoonale). ↗

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