Handsome Spurfowl
Pternistis nobilis
Large, chunky brown francolin with a red bill and bare red skin around the eye. Found in montane forest, forest edge, and bamboo. Often in pairs. Reclusive, but will emerge onto roads and paths, especially early and late in the day. The call alternates lower “kroo” notes with higher “kreek” notes. Also gives simpler raspy single notes and series. Similar to Scaly Francolin, but larger and richer brown, with red bare skin around the eye.
Identification
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 bird with a dark reddish brown plumage, grey head, red bill and legs, brown iris, bare red orbital skin and rufous grey below. Both sexes are similar. The female is slightly smaller than male. The young has duller plumage. The handsome spurfowl is distributed in mountain forests of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, southwest Uganda and borders between Burundi and Rwanda. It is a shy and elusive bird, more often heard than seen. The diet consists mainly of seeds.
Taxonomy
The handsome spurfowl was described in 1908 by the German ornithologist Anton Reichenow from a specimen collected on Mount Sabyinyo in the Virunga Mountains. Mount Sabyinyo is in Rwanda, on the border with the Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Reichenow coined the binomial name Francolinus nobilis. The species is now placed in the genus Pternistis that was introduced by the German naturalist Johann Georg Wagler in 1832. The specific epithet nobilis is Latin for "noble", "famous" or "renowned". The handsome spurfowl is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised.
- Scientific name
- Pternistis nobilis
- Authority
- (Reichenow, 1908)
- Order
- Galliformes
- Family
- Phasianidae
- Genus
- Pternistis
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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