Snow quail (scientific name: Lerwa lerwa) about 35 cm in length, medium in size, grey throughout , with black and white pinstripes on upper body, head, neck and tail, light tan on back and wings, white breast with characteristic broad lance-shaped chestnut stripes. The various subspecies are difficult to distinguish in the wild. The natural environment of habitat is extremely harsh, and most of them live in alpine shrubs, alpine meadows and bare rock areas at an altitude of 3000-5500 meters. The food includes more than 40 kinds of mosses, ferns, herbs and shrubs such as fescue, bluegrass, windflower, leaves, buds, flowers and seeds, as well as a very small amount of animal food, and pecking some gravel. The breeding season is from April to May, with 2-5 eggs per litter, and the hatching is borne by the females. Distributed in the Himalayas, eastern Afghanistan, Assam, India, and southwestern China.

【Reproduction】

Snow quails start to group, pair, and mate from April to May every year, and make their nests in caves or bushes and weeds under cliffs and rocks. The nest is very concealed and consists of grass stems and moss. Each clutch lays 2-5 eggs, with a maximum of 7 eggs. Eggs are creamy white or dark yellow in color, densely covered with reddish dots and patches. The average size is 48.2-51.8 x 37.7-39.3 mm and the average weight is 35.4-36 grams. The eggs are hatched by the female.

【Subspecies differentiation】

Single species, no subspecies.

【Population Status】

The population number of snow quail varies greatly with different distribution areas, but the total number is still relatively large. In the core area of its distribution area, the number is relatively large, while the number in the southern part of Gansu and the northwest part of China's Yunnan in the edge area of the distribution area is very rare. The survival of snow quail is also increasingly threatened due to the growing economic activities of local residents in high mountain areas. In addition, low clutch size and poor habitat are also the main reasons for limiting the development of snow quail populations.

The species has a wide distribution range and is not close to the critical value standard for vulnerable and endangered species survival (the distribution area or fluctuation range is less than 20,000 square kilometers, habitat quality, population size, and fragmentation of the distribution area), population trends Stable, so it is rated as a species with no existential crisis.

【Protection level】

Included in the 2013 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species ver3.1 - low risk ( LC).

Snow quail males are 364 mm long and weigh 560-650 grams; females are 310-367 mm long and 420-650 grams. The long elephant of the snow quail is not very beautiful, the body feathers are mostly black and white, or black and brown mixed with horizontal spots; the flight feathers are dark brown; the chest and belly are chestnut, and the feather edges have white spots; the tail has black and white with almost equal width. Alternating streaks. As if to make up for the lack of bright color on its body feathers, its eyes have blood red irises, and its mouth and feet are a lustrous coral red.

Large water measurement: body weight 560 grams; body length 340-400 mm; mouth peak 18-28 mm; wings 179-205 mm; tail 118-138 mm; tarsus 38-41 mm.

 

Habitat

Natural Habitat The environment is extremely harsh, and most of them live in alpine shrubs, alpine meadows and bare rock areas at an altitude of 3000-5500 meters. The weather in these places is harsh, with blizzards often coming. The winter lasts for 8-9 months, and there is no frost-free period throughout the year. Sometimes it snows heavily in June. In spring and autumn, it mainly inhabits bare rocks above the snow line and mountains where weathered debris accumulates, and at night in rock crevices or under cliffs. Rabbit ear grass and nasturtium, etc., the coverage is less than 5%, but there are few natural enemies, which is convenient for the reproduction of this species, and the number has been increased smoothly. During the breeding season, it is mostly active on the alpine meadows under the alpine bare rock belt, where the climate is cool, the rainfall is abundant, the plants grow luxuriantly, and the plant species are relatively rich, such as alpine wormwood, grass grass, green grass, edelweiss, etc. enrich their food. In winter, it is mainly active in the alpine shrubland under the meadows, as well as in the sunny slopes of the mountains and the water areas of the foothills. The climate here is dry and warm, and there are sparse shrubs such as golden pheasants, spiraea, rhododendrons, etc., which are relatively The ideal wintering place. Due to the different habitats in each season, they form a habit of seasonal vertical migration. In winter, they migrate from the mountains to the shrubs for the winter, and then rise to the meadows and bare rock areas when the spring comes. Often active on rocky steep slopes with alpine plants such as rhododendrons, ferns, moss, lichens, etc. In summer, it is mostly in rocky areas above 4,000 meters above sea level, and in winter it drops to about 4,000-3,000 meters, or even 2,000 meters. From Lijiang to Longshan in Yunnan, it is also seen in January at an altitude of 4700-4800 meters above sea level.

 

Habits

Snowquail are good at walking and gliding, and often slide from one hillside to another when encountering predators. When walking on the ground, he looked swaying and staggering, very clumsy and ridiculous. Their plumage color is consistent with the surrounding environment, forming a good protective color. In addition, the alpine areas are often foggy, and most of them communicate with each other through calls, so they are often only heard and disappeared. The quail calls are shrill and short, the calls of the males are continuous, accelerating and rising in pitch; the calls of the females are lower and less vocal.

Snow quails have strong adaptability to the natural conditions of high mountains, and their daily activities generally have two peak periods, one in the early morning and the other in the evening. Except for the breeding season, it is an integrated group activity. Don't be very afraid of people, sometimes people can get very close. When frightened, it flew away immediately, making a rapid and high-pitched cry when taking off. It feeds on the ground, including more than 40 kinds of mosses, ferns, leaves, buds, flowers and seeds of herbs and shrubs such as fescue, bluegrass, and windflowers, as well as a very small amount of animal food, and pecks some gravel .