Grey-breasted spurfowl in Serengeti National Park.
Scientific classification
Domain:
Eukaryota
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Aves
Order:
Galliformes
Family:
Phasianidae
Tribe:
Coturnicini
Genus:
Pternistis Wagler, 1832
Type species
Tetrao capensis[1] = Tetrao afer
Gmelin, 1788
Species
See text
Synonyms
Francolinus
Pternistis is a genus of galliform birds formerly classified in the spurfowl group of the partridge subfamily of the pheasant family. They are described as "partridge-francolins" in literature establishing their phylogenetic placement outside the monophyletic assemblage of true spurfowls. All species are endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa, excepted the double-spurred spurfowl (also present in Morocco). They are commonly known as spurfowls or francolins, but are closely related to jungle bush quail, Alectoris rock partridges, and Coturnix quail. The species are strictly monogamous, remaining mated indefinitely. They procure most of their food by digging. Spurfowls subsist almost entirely on roots, beans of leguminous shrubs and trees, tubers, and seeds, and feasting opportunistically on termites, ants, locusts, flowers, and fruit. Important predators are jackals, caracals, servals, and birds of prey, as well as herons and marabou storks.
Harsh, grating calls typical of Pternistis species: P. swainsonii and P. adspersus
^"Phasianidae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
the genus Pternistis and restrict the use of "francolin" to the other species presently or formerly classified in Francolinus. When Pternistis is excluded...
Coturnicini: Pternistis spp". Ostrich. 90 (2): 145–172. doi:10.2989/00306525.2019.1584925. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pternistis natalensis...
The Ahanta francolin or Ahanta spurfowl (Pternistis ahantensis) is a species of bird in the pheasant family, Phasianidae. It is native to western Africa...
The Mount Cameroon spurfowl (Pternistis camerunensis) is a bird species in the pheasant family Phasianidae. It is found only in Cameroon. Its natural habitat...
The handsome spurfowl (Pternistis nobilis) is a species of bird in the pheasant family Phasianidae. It is a large, up to 35 cm long, terrestrial forest...
The Cape spurfowl or Cape francolin (Pternistis capensis) is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae. It is endemic to southern Africa, where it...
The scaly spurfowl (Pternistis squamatus) is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It is found in Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic...
The Djibouti spurfowl or Djibouti francolin (Pternistis ochropectus) is a bird species in the pheasant family, Phasianidae. It is critically endangered...
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