Recent records of endemic bird White-faced Partridge <Arborophila orientalis> (Horsfield, 1821) in Meru Betiri National Park, Indonesia

The ecological records of the White-faced Partridge Arborophila orientalis in Meru Betiri National Park (MBNP) are extremely scant. Recently, camera trap monitoring has revealed the presence of this endemic bird in three different areas at MBNP: Malangsari (09 August 2018; 28 August 2018; 28 November 2018), Sumberpacet (17 November 2018), and Rajegwesi (18 October 2021). The White-faced Partridge was found in MBNP’s highland regions, at elevations ranging 446–960 m and on slopes inclining 21.13–53.61%. Furthermore, it was located under high-density forest cover, as indicated by a normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) ranging 0.67–0.72. It was observed solitary or in groups (four individuals per frame), participating in activities such as self-grooming and foraging on the forest floor, and crossing forest ground. We conclude that our report is remarkable in terms of the distribution and habitat characteristics of the White-faced Partridge in the MBNP, which is critical information for developing conservation strategies for this endemic species in their refuge.