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Chestnut-naped Spurfowl - BirdForum Opus

Photo by Mike Barth
Bale Mountains, Ethiopia, August 2014

Alternative name: Chestnut-naped Francolin
Includes Black-fronted Francolin/Black-fronted Spurfowl

Pternistis castaneicollis

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:

Subspecies atrifrons (Black-fronted Francolin) was formerly split as a full species but is now again included here.
Five other subspecies are not generally recognised[2].

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

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2022. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2022. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Gill, F, D Donsker, and P Rasmussen (Eds). 2023. IOC World Bird List (v 13.1)_red. Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.13.1. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/
  3. Avibase
  4. Sinclair, I and P Ryan. 2003. Birds of Africa South of the Sahara. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0691118154
  5. Birdforum thread discussing this species

Recommended Citation

External Links

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

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