Enterprise Development with Flex

Colophon

The animals on the cover of Enterprise Development with Flex are red-crested wood-quails (Rollulus roulroul), more commonly known today as crested wood partridges or Roul-roul partridges. The birds live in small flocks in the lowland rainforests of Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo. They forage on the ground for fruit, seeds, and insects, and often follow wild pigs through the forest to feed on any leftovers. If disturbed, these plump birds can fly for short distances, but, as is common in many quail species, they tend to run instead.

Male and female red-crested wood-quails have vastly different appearances. Males sport a white spot at the base of the bristling red-crested head for which the bird is named, as well as iridescent blue-green plumage and a dark blue underbelly. In contrast, the female is pea green, with brown wings and a gray head. Both have red feet, red skin around the eyes, and black bills.

The red-crested wood-quail nests on the forest floor in a dome-like construction of leaves and twigs that completely conceals its eggs and the nesting female. Unusually for a galliform (fowl-like) species, the chicks are fed bill-to-bill by their parents rather than pecking their food from the ground. This bird’s call is a plaintive, whistled si-ul, most often heard at dawn. In 2004, the red-crested wood-quail was listed as a near threatened species due to heavy logging activity in Southeast Asia.

The cover image is from The Riverside Natural History. The ...