Scaly Spurfowl
Pternistis squamatus
Medium-sized dull-brown francolin with a red bill and legs. Varies geographically; eastern birds are darker. Found in montane forest, forest edge, secondary scrub, plantations, and bamboo. Shy, and difficult to see, except when crossing a road or path. The call is a series of very rough notes which become quicker and more emphatic. Separated from Handsome and Red-necked Francolins by the lack of red bare skin around the eye.
Taxonomy
The scaly spurfowl was formally described in 1857 by the American ornithologist John Cassin from specimens collected by Paul Du Chaillu in the Cape Lopez region in what is now the West Africa state of Gabon. Cassin coined the binomial name Francolinus squamatus. The specific epithet squamatus is Latin for "scaled". The species is now placed in the genus Pternistis that was introduced by the German naturalist Johann Georg Wagler in 1832. A phylogenetic study published in 2019 found that the scaly spurfowl is a sister species to the Ahanta spurfowl.<p>Three subspecies are now recognised:
- Scientific name
- Pternistis squamatus
- Authority
- (Cassin, 1857)
- Order
- Galliformes
- Family
- Phasianidae
- Genus
- Pternistis
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Magpie Mannikin
Spermestes fringilloides
Large waxbill with a big bill. Shows a black head, brown back, and black scallops along the sides of the breast. Found in bamboo, moist scrub, moist cultivation, lush savanna, and forest edge. Quite scarce across most of its range. Call is a descending “teeiw”. Superficially similar to Bronze Mannikin but larger and bigger-billed, with an all-black head and distinctive scallops along the breast sides.
Guianan Woodcreeper
Lepidocolaptes albolineatus
Inconspicuous woodcreeper of forest canopy. Note relatively thin, somewhat curved bill. Inhabits tall rainforest where it is almost always observed with mixed-species flocks. Probes into bark crevices and epiphytes for insects. Guianan is smaller than similar woodcreepers that occur in the same area, but Guianan is more likely to forage along high horizontal branches. Frequently given call is a long, descending rattle; distinctive once learned.
Chinese Hwamei
Garrulax canorus
A medium-sized thrushlike bird of dense forests and undergrowth. The reddish brown coloration and white spectacles are distinctive. Usually skulks in dense vegetation, but may sing from an exposed perch or forage out in the open during dawn and dusk. Usually observed singly or in pairs. The song is loud, long, and varied, involving mimicry of other birds, whistles, and harsh notes that are often repeated. Introduced to Taiwan, Japan, and the Hawaiian Islands.
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