Francolins Quails

Distribution

Of the approximately 17 extant species, the natural range of five (composing the genus Francolinus and Ortygornis) are restricted to Asia, while the remaining genera are restricted to Africa. Several species have been introduced to other parts of the world, notably Hawaii.

Diet

Francolins are terrestrial (though not flightless) birds that feed on insects, vegetable matter and seeds.

Information

Francolins are birds in the subtribe Francolinina that belongs to the tribe Gallini that traditionally have been placed in the genus Francolinus, but now commonly are divided into multiple genera.As previously defined, they were paraphyletic as the genus Pternistis, which was previously included in Francolinus, is more closely related to Old World quails than it is to the other francolins. Beginning in 2004, various ornithologists have recommended that it would be clearer to use "spurfowl" for all members of the genus Pternistis and restrict the use of "francolin" to the other species presently or formerly classified in Francolinus. When Pternistis is excluded, the francolins form a monophyletic clade that is a sister group to a clade comprising the junglefowl (Gallus) and the bamboo partridges (Bambusicola); together, these clades compose the tribe Gallini.

Francolins Quails

Other birds