The yellow-necked spurfowl or yellow-necked francolin is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It is found in Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. This species is named for the yellow patch found on its neck. Males of this species have been noted to have spurs on the back of their legs.
Region
Horn of Africa and East Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs from Djibouti, Eritrea and Ethiopia south through Somalia and eastern South Sudan into Kenya, Uganda and northern–central Tanzania. Favours dry savanna, thorn-scrub and acacia bushland, often near watercourses and at the edges of cultivation. It uses open ground with scattered cover for foraging and avoids dense forest. Frequently seen along tracks and farmland margins and can persist in moderately human-altered landscapes.
Altitude Range
0–2000 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Also called the yellow-necked francolin, this ground-dwelling gamebird is common in the dry savannas and thornbush of East Africa. It is easily recognized by its bare yellow throat patch and loud, cackling dawn calls. Birds often flush explosively from roadside verges and will roost in low trees or shrubs. Males carry sharp leg spurs used in territorial disputes.
Temperament
wary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small family groups; forms monogamous pairs during the breeding season. Nests on the ground in a simple scrape concealed by grass or shrubs. Roosts in bushes or low trees to avoid predators and will run before taking to flight.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Loud, rasping, cackling series given most often at dawn, carrying over long distances. Calls may be given in duets by pairs, with rapid, accelerating notes that taper off.
Plumage
Heavily mottled and barred brown upperparts with pale streaking; underparts streaked and scaled in black, white and brown. Throat shows a prominent patch of bare yellow skin, often bordered by darker feathering. Tail and wings are barred; overall appearance cryptic and scaly.
Diet
Feeds on seeds, grains, green shoots and bulbs, supplemented by insects such as termites, ants, beetles and grasshoppers. Will glean fallen grain and seeds along tracks and fields, scratching at the ground with its feet. Diet varies seasonally with rainfall and food availability.
Preferred Environment
Open ground within thorn-scrub, acacia savanna and bushy edges of cultivation. Often forages along roadsides, field margins and around watercourses where cover and food are juxtaposed.
