Schlegel's francolin is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It is found in Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, and South Sudan. According to the IUCN Red List, in which the species is rated as "least concern", the global population is unknown, but there have been no fluctuations in population.
Region
Central African Sahel and savanna belt
Typical Environment
Occurs from northern Cameroon east through the Central African Republic and Chad to South Sudan. It favors open and lightly wooded savannas with tall grasses, thorn scrub, and scattered shrubs. Birds also use fallow fields, the edges of cultivation, and grassy floodplain margins. They keep close to cover, often foraging along paths and clearings before retreating to denser vegetation for safety.
Altitude Range
200–1600 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Schlegel's francolin is a ground-dwelling gamebird of the Sahelian savannas and is typically seen in pairs or small coveys. It was formerly placed in Francolinus/Peliperdix but is now often treated in the genus Campocolinus. The species is assessed as Least Concern and appears locally common where suitable grassland and scrub persist. Its loud, cackling dawn duets can reveal birds that are otherwise very secretive.
Temperament
wary and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with explosive takeoff
Social Behavior
Usually found in pairs or small family coveys that move quietly through grass. Nests are simple ground scrapes concealed in dense cover, with both parents attentive to chicks. Territorial calling is most frequent at dawn and after rains.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A loud, rasping, cackling series of repeated notes, often delivered as a duet at first light. Contact calls are harsher clucks and chatters used to keep coveys together in tall grass.
Plumage
Warm brown to rufous-brown upperparts with fine black and buff vermiculations; underparts buffy to pale with dark barring on the breast and flanks. Short, rounded wings and a short tail typical of francolins.
Diet
Feeds on a mix of grass and weed seeds, grains spilled from fields, green shoots, and bulbs. Supplements this with insects such as termites, beetles, and grasshoppers, especially in the wet season. Forages by walking and scratching at the ground and leaf litter.
Preferred Environment
Edges of tall grass, thorn scrub, and cultivated plots where cover is close at hand. Frequently uses tracks, field margins, and lightly grazed pastures for feeding.
