- Pternistis castaneicollis
Includes: Black-fronted Francolin
Identification
Length 33-37 cm; a large francolin
Key features are rusty colours on the head, neck, upper breast and wings; white belly and vent; and red bill and legs.
Distribution
Eastern Africa: Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya.
Taxonomy
Formerly placed in genus Francolinus.
Subspecies
There are 2 subspecies[1]:
- P. c. castaneicollis:
- P. c. atrifrons:
- Southern Ethiopia and extreme northern Kenya
Five other subspecies are not generally recognised[2].
Subspecies atrifrons is recognized by IOC as full species, Black-fronted Francolin.
Habitat
Montane heath, forest edges and scrub.
Behaviour
Usually seen in small groups or pairs.
Diet
They form feeding coveys; They pick seeds and insects off the ground.
Vocalisation
Calls mostly at dawn and dusk; kek kek keraak.
Gallery
Click on photo for larger image
Photo by Trevor Hardaker
Bale Mountains, Ethiopia, May 2009
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2017. IOC World Bird Names (version 7.2). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
- Avibase
- Sinclair, I and P Ryan. 2003. Birds of Africa South of the Sahara. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0691118154
- Birdforum thread discussing this species
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Chestnut-naped Spurfowl. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 30 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Chestnut-naped_Spurfowl