Erckel's Spurfowl
Pternistis erckelii
A pheasant-sized game bird with a chestnut crown, white throat, and white streaks above and below. Males are larger than females. Occurs in grasslands, shrubby areas, and gullies, usually in uplands. Prefers wetter areas than Gray and Black Francolins. Call is a loud series of laughing “er-er-er” notes descending in pitch toward the end. Introduced to Hawaii where it is common on Kauai, Lanai, and Hawaii and local on Oahu and Maui.
Identification
The largest African spurfowl, Erckel's spurfowl is 38–43 cm (15–17 in) in length, with females being slightly smaller than males. Males grow to 1.05–1.59 kg (2.3–3.5 lb), based on a sample of three specimens, and a single female specimen was observed to weigh 1.136 kg (2.50 lb). Males and females have similar plumage. The body is covered with stripes of chestnut-color, on its upperside and underside. It has a black face and bill, a chestnut-colored head top and back of neck, and yellow legs. It has white ear coverts and a single streak of white behind its eye.
Taxonomy
Erckel's spurfowl was described in 1935 by the German naturalist Eduard Rüppell from specimens collected in the mountains of Ethiopia. He coined the binomial name Perdix erckelii. The specific epithet was chosen by Rüppell to honour his assistant, Theodor Erckel (1811–1897), who had helped with the collection of specimens. The species is now placed in the genus Pternistis that was introduced by the German naturalist Johann Georg Wagler in 1832. Erckel's spurfowl is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised. A phylogenetic study published in 2019 found that Erckel's spurfowl was most closely related to the Djibouti spurfowl.
- Scientific name
- Pternistis erckelii
- Authority
- (Rüppell, 1835)
- Order
- Galliformes
- Family
- Phasianidae
- Genus
- Pternistis
Range and habitat
Erckel's spurfowl is native to the northern parts of Eritrea and Ethiopia, as well as northeast Sudan. In 1957, the species was introduced to Hawaii as a gamebird; it has also been introduced to Italy. It lives in areas 2,000 to 3,500 metres (6,600 to 11,500 ft) above sea level, such as in the mountainous Degua Tembien district. Although its exact population is unknown, it is a common species with an estimated range of 580,000 km2 (220,000 sq mi), causing it to be listed as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Erckel's spurfowl can hunt alone or in pairs, in scrublands or at the edge of forests. Its diet consists of plants, such as berries, seeds, and shoots, as well as insects. It is frequently inactive, but if threatened it runs up a hill. It produces territorial calls, which consist of 15–20 notes and are made from clifftops and large rocks. The species' vocalizations are frequently repeated over a long period, and have been described as "an insane cackled laughter, speeding towards the end with a bouncing ball pattern". Eggs are laid during the rainy season from April to November, with the exact time depending on the location; they are laid in May and September to November in Ethiopia, while they are laid in April and May in Sudan.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Eastern Marsh Harrier
Circus spilonotus
A common patroller above reedbeds, flying with wings raised in a shallow V-shape. Adult males are predominantly pale gray with a dark-speckled head, blackish back with pale-edged feathers, and black wingtips. Adult females are brown and streaky and lack the bold white rump patch of the similar female Hen Harrier. Juveniles are brown with paler heads and breasts. Extremely similar to Western Marsh-Harrier, but range overlap is minimal.
Green Peafowl
Pavo muticus
An immense game bird of open tropical forests, often near water. Beautiful and unique within its range. Both sexes have glittering green necks, dark wings, and a dark green crest which is always held vertically. Males have the classic great train of the peacocks, which is opened and held up during courtship. Females have a short tail with no frilly plumes, but shares some of the train’s green iridescence. Males gather attendant flocks of many females, and advertise with a sad-sounding “awow-woh!”, often in the late evening or very early morning.
Eastern Barn Owl
Tyto javanica
Medium-sized owl with a heart-shaped facial disc and deep dark eyes. Varies somewhat across a wide range, but always note white-and-black speckling on the upperparts, beautiful gray-and-tawny wings, and large round head with ghostly white facial disc. Compared with various other masked-owls and grass-owls that overlap in range, Eastern Barn generally has a brighter white face. Hunts in open areas by night, foraging with a slow and buoyant flight. Roosts in old buildings, tree hollows, caves, and nest boxes by day. Gives a bone-chilling, rising shriek, as well as shorter rasping calls.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.