Snapped! Our first photo of the incredibly rare Nahan’s partridge
Posted 23 Jul 2025
Seldom seen and barely photographed, the Nahan’s partridge (Ptilopachus nahani) is a rare and elusive African species. This is why we are thrilled to share this remarkable image of two Nahan’s partridges, captured during our conservation project to protect this threatened species.
Masters student Samson Esie Mwine saw the birds while surveying for the species in Uganda’s Budongo Forest as part of our Nahan’s partridge conservation project, a partnership with the Budongo Conservation Field Station (BCFS) and supported by the World Pheasant Association.
Happily, Samson managed to capture our first photo of the species, with two birds in the frame. Although as you can see, one of them was a little camera shy!
Pictured above: The rare Nahan's partridge CREDIT: Samson Esie Mwine
Budongo Forest, in northwestern Uganda, is a biodiversity hotspot best known for its wild chimpanzee population, whose conservation is supported by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) alongside efforts to protect other rare species like the Nahan’s partridge.
The Nahan’s partridge is found in just a handful of locations in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo and faces threats including hunting and habitat loss. Incredibly shy and rare, capturing this photograph is an amazing milestone in our efforts to understand more about this species.
Pictured above: Samson assessing an illegal site
Sadly, during his work surveying for Nahan’s partridge in Budongo Forest, Samson also found evidence of illegal activity, including logging and charcoal burning.
These discoveries are a sobering reminder of the threats facing Nahan’s partridge and other species. This is an important forest ecosystem and there is an urgent need to learn more about it so we can find ways to protect it.
Through RZSS’s long-running partnership with BCFS, we have been supporting the efforts of an eco-guard team who patrol the forest for hours every day, removing wire snares and reporting illegal activity to the authorities. The team are the main line of defence against exploitation of the forest and have removed over 54,800 snares since the start of their patrolling.
Pictured above: Members of the BCFS eco-guard
Besides the rollercoaster of snapping photographs of rare birds and uncovering illegal sites, Samson’s project to study the Nahan’s partridge is making excellent progress. Recently, he tackled an unexpected challenge: forest scrub robins mimicking the partridge’s call, making it harder to track these already secretive birds.
To overcome this, Samson teamed up with expert ornithologists from BCFS, whose skilled ear can distinguish between the two species. With their support, he’s now analysing his field data and writing up his findings, providing valuable insights that will shape future conservation efforts for the elusive Nahan’s partridge.
Closer to home in Edinburgh Zoo, the RZSS WildGenes team is preparing to visit BCFS in September. They will deliver a training workshop in genetic lab techniques with the goal of eventually sequencing the whole genome of Nahan’s partridge with the BCFS lab team. This will be a first for the species and the BCFS team, providing important information about Budongo forest’s Nahan’s partridge population. Watch this space to hear more soon.
Laura Daniels, assistant conservation project officer
