Animalia Life

Brachypteracias squamigera
SUBFAMILY
Brachypteraciinae
TAXONOMY
Brachypteracias squamiger Lafresnaye, 1838, Madagascar. Monotypic.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Scaled ground-roller; French: Brachyptйrolle йcaillй; German: Schuppenedracke; Spanish: Carraca-Terrestre Escamosa.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
12 in (30 cm). Cryptic plumage blends with foliage. White head and underparts with black and brown scaly pattern; upperparts bronze and green.
DISTRIBUTION
Eastern Madagascar.
HABITAT
Humid forest below 4,900 ft (1,800 m); prefers shaded areas with sparse groundcover.
BEHAVIOR
Terrestrial, sedentary; shy, secretive, quiet. Seldom flies, escaping danger by running or standing motionless in concealed position.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Forages mainly in leaf litter on ground; takes insects, snails, small frogs.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Little known; breeds September–January; 1–2 white eggs laid at end of burrow excavated in earth bank; incubation by female at least 18 days; chicks fed by both parents, fledging at 18 days.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Vulnerable; threatened by deforestation and hunting.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
Hunted for food.

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