Double-spurred spurfowl

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Double-spurred spurfowl
A covey in central Cameroon

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Genus: Pternistis
Species:
P. bicalcaratus
Binomial name
Pternistis bicalcaratus
(Linnaeus, 1766)
   geographic distribution
Synonyms
  • Tetrao bicalcaratus Linnaeus, 1766
  • Francolinus bicalcaratus (Linnaeus, 1766)

The double-spurred spurfowl (Pternistis bicalcaratus) is a

gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds. Like most spurfowls, it is restricted to Africa. It is a resident breeder in tropical west Africa, but there is a small and declining isolated population in Morocco
.

Taxonomy

In 1760 the French zoologist

sister to Heuglin's spurfowl.[8]

Three subspecies are now recognised:[7]

  • P. b. adamauae (Neumann, 1915) — central Nigeria to Cameroon and southwest Chad
  • P. b. ayesha (Hartert, 1917) — west Morocco
  • P. b. bicalcaratus (Linnaeus, 1766) — Senegambia and south Mauritania to west Nigeria

Description

Illustration by J. G. Keulemans
MHNT

The double-spurred spurfowl is 30–34 cm (12–13 in) in length.[9] The male is mainly brown, sparingly streaked and spotted darker and cream above, chest and flank feathers are dark brown edged and centrally spotted cream. The face is pale cream finely flecked with dark brown, and the head features a chestnut crown and white supercilium. It has a chestnut neck collar, white cheek patches and brown wings. The male usually has two spurs on each leg, the upper one being blunt. The legs are dull green. The female is similar in appearance, but usually lacks spurs and is slightly smaller and less robustly built. Males weigh around 507 g (17.9 oz) and females around 381 g (13.4 oz).[9] Young birds are almost indistinguishable from adult females after the post juvenile moult at several weeks old, males take several months to develop any spurs. Breeding is unlikely until the birds are in their second year.

Distribution and habitat

This bird is found in open habitats with trees. It nests in a lined ground

scrape laying 5 to 7 eggs. The double-spurred spurfowl takes a wide variety of plant and insect food. This is a very unobtrusive species, best seen in spring when the male sings a mechanical krak-krak-krak from a mound. It has a pheasant's
explosive flight, but prefers to creep away unseen.

References

  1. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22678803A92788993.en
    . Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  2. ^ Brisson, Mathurin Jacques (1760). Ornithologie; ou, Méthode contenant la division des oiseaux en ordres, sections, genres, espéces & leurs variétés (in French). Vol. 1. Paris: Jean-Baptiste Bauche. pp. 231–233, Plate XXIV Fig. 1 (Male).
  3. ^
    hdl:2246/678
    .
  4. ^ Linnaeus, Carl (1766). Systema naturae : per regna tria natura, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (in Latin). Vol. 1, Part 1 (12th ed.). Holmiae (Stockholm): Laurentii Salvii. p. 277.
  5. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4
    .
  6. ^ Wagler, Johann Georg (1832). "Neue Sippen und Gattungen der Säugthiere und Vögel". Isis von Oken (in German and Latin). cols 1218–1235 [1229].
  7. ^
    Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (2020). "Pheasants, partridges, francolins"
    . IOC World Bird List Version 10.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  8. S2CID 195417777
    .
  9. ^ a b McGowan, P.J.K.; Kirwan, G.M. (2020). del Hoyo, J.; Elliott, A.; Sargatal, J.; Christie, D.A.; de Juana, E. (eds.). "Double-spurred Francolin (Pternistis bicalcaratus)". Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions. Retrieved 19 February 2020.

External links

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