© Alistair Walsh
© David Irving
© James Kennerley
© Holger Teichmann

Natal Spurfowl Pternistis natalensis

Sign in to see your badges

Identification

POWERED BY MERLIN

A medium-size brownish francolin with distinctive yellow nostrils and a bright orange-red bill and legs. The back is mottled brown, and the underpart feathers are edged brown and white, giving it a marbled scaled appearance. Juveniles are similar to adults, with duller legs and bill. It is common in savanna, preferring thicker understory. The call is a loud raucous “kak-kreek” that variably accelerates and decelerates. Red-billed Francolin differs from Natal Francolin by having barred (not scaled) underparts and a yellow eye-ring. Swainson’s Francolin differs from Natal Francolin by having red facial skin and dark blackish legs.

POWERED BY MERLIN