The grey-breasted spurfowl or grey-breasted francolin is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It is found only in Tanzania.
Region
East Africa
Typical Environment
Endemic to northern and central Tanzania with a patchy range around savanna woodlands, thorn scrub, and cultivated mosaics. It favors areas with a mix of open ground for foraging and dense cover for refuge, including acacia woodland edges and rocky hillsides. The species also occurs along lightly wooded riverine corridors and near farmlands where fallow fields provide seeds and insects. It is generally localized but can be fairly common where suitable habitat persists.
Altitude Range
600–1800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Also called the grey-breasted francolin, this spurfowl is restricted to Tanzania and is often detected by its loud, cackling duets at dawn. It spends most of its time on the ground, exploding into short, rapid flight only when flushed. Pairs or small family groups keep to dense cover and edges of scrub, making it more often heard than seen.
Temperament
wary and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small family groups, keeping close to cover and freezing before flushing explosively. Breeding pairs defend small territories, with a simple ground scrape nest hidden in grass or under shrubs. Chicks are precocial and follow adults soon after hatching, feeding alongside them.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A loud, rasping series of cackles and crowing notes, often given as antiphonal duets at dawn and dusk. Calls carry far across savanna habitats and are the primary clue to presence in dense cover.
