A blog dedicated to the thousands of bird species that fly, swim or walk on our planet.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Erckel's francolin

Pternistis erckelii

Photo by Jim Denny (Flickr)

Common name:
Erckel's francolin (en); francolim-de-Erckell (pt); francolin d'Erckel (fr); francolín de Erckel (es); Erckelfrankolin (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Galliformes
Family Phasianidae

Range:
This species is found in Eritrea, northern Ethiopia and eastern Sudan.

Size:
These birds are 39-43 cm long and weigh 1.050-1.590 g.

Habitat:
The Erckel's francolin is mostly found in high-altitude scrublands, favouring areas dominated by Carissa, Rumex, Maytenus and Rosa, but also use moist tropical forests, rivers and stream. They occur at altitudes of 2.000-3.500 m.

Diet:
They feed mainly on seeds, shoots and berries, but also take some insects.

Breeding:
Erckel's francolins breed in April-November and are believed to be monogamous. They nest in a scrape in the ground, where the female lays 4-10 eggs. The eggs are incubated for 21-23 days and the chicks leave the nest soon after hatching and follow the mother around while being able to feed themselves.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is reported to be generally common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

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