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Black Francolin

Francolinus francolinusOrder: GALLIFORMESFamily: Turkeys and Grouse (Phasianidae)

Black Francolin Portrait
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General

Black Francolin: Plump gamebird, male is mainly black below and golden brown above. Head is black with rufous-brown or tan crown and nape, rufous collar and white cheek patches. Brown scalloped back and wings. Lower back, rump, and uppertail coverts are black with fine white bars. Breast and flanks black with white spots. Female is similar but dull with no cheekpatch, and collar is replaced with a nuchal patch. Head and underparts are buff where the male shows black. Rump and uppertail coverts light brown. Juvenile resembles female, paler overall.

Range and Habitat

Black Francolin: Game bird introduced and established on Molokai, Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Lanai and Kauai. Prefers areas of thick vegetation, usually near water.

Voice Text

"kik-kik-kik", " kwee-kweeeee-kwee"

Interesting Facts

  • A group of pheasants has many collective nouns, including a "bouquet", "brace", "plume", "plump", and "trip" of pheasants.
  • The Black Francolin is the state bird of Haryana, a state in northern India.
  • It was formerly known as the Black Partridge.
  • Erckel, Black, and Gray Francolins were all imported and released in several states during the 1950s and 1960s. The mainland populations did not survive, while all three francolin species thrived in Hawaii.


Author

Crystal Adams

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Range Map for Black Francolin
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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.
Family
Species Francolinus francolinus
Length13 - 14 Inches
Wingspan Inches

Black Francolin

Black Francolin: Introduced to Hawaii in 1959, male has a black breast, and flanks with white spots, belly is rufous. Black head with rufous collar, brown crown and white cheek patches. Back and wings are brown scalloped. Lower back, rump, and tail black with fine white bars. Orange legs and feet.

● Song: "kik-kik-kik", " kwee-kweeeee-kwee"

● Foraging & Feeding: Black Francolin: Forages on the ground and eats a wide variety of seeds and insects. May also eat small amphibians, reptiles, earthworms, and spiders.

● Breeding & nesting: Black Francolin: Three to eight white-spotted, olive-brown to brown eggs are laid in a shallow scrape on bare ground. Incubation is carried out by the female for 18 to 21 days. Both parents tend chicks after hatching. Young stay with parents through their first winter.

● Similar species: Black Francolin: Gray Francolin has gray-brown and buff body, buff instead of black throat, and lacks rufous collar.

Flight Pattern

Short, direct flight punctuated by glides.
Black Francolin Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Black Francolin: Game bird introduced and established on Molokai, Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Lanai and Kauai. Prefers areas of thick vegetation, usually near water.
BreedingMonogamous
PopulationCommon to uncommon
MigrationNonmigratory
Weight16 Ounces