Finsch's Francolin Scleroptila finschi Scientific name definitions

c. 34–36 cm (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ); c. 540–600 g (2 Dunning, J. B., Jr. (2008). CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses. Second edition. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, USA. Close ). Mainly grey-brown upperparts, with some rufous barring; mainly rufous head and white throat; upper breast grey-brown, becoming buff posteriorly, with chestnut blotching and greyer flanks (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Male Peliperdix coqui has more orange-coloured head and lacks rufous in wings, as well as being smaller and more compact (present species is a medium-sized francolin) (3 Borrow, N., and R. Demey (2001). Birds of Western Africa. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Differs from other red-winged francolins by grey breast and lack of black-and-white pattern on face and neck; some overlap with S. levaillantii in Angola (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Bare parts: bill brownish black, irides brown and legs yellowish brown; both sexes have single spur, longer in male (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Juvenile plumage is apparently undescribed (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ).

SE Gabon (Lékoni) to lower R Congo in Congo and DRCongo (Batéké Plateau N of Brazzaville and Kinshasa); S DRCongo (Kwando and Kwilu); and WC Angola (Cuanza Norte and S Malanje S to N Huíla).

Woodland and grassland; at Gungu in S DRCongo occurs in grassland near gallery forest up to 600 m; on Mt Moco in Angola found on bare slopes above the treeline at 2100 m; elsewhere in wooded savanna and also in Brachystegia woodland.

Sedentary.

Beetles, insect larvae and seeds are taken; recorded feeding in recently burnt areas (4 Urban, E. K., C. H. Fry, and S. Keith, Editors (1986). The Birds of Africa. Volume 2. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ). Chiefly recorded in pairs. No further information available.

Vocalizations considered typical of Scleroptila, and especially similar to those of S. shelleyi (5 Mills, M. S. L. (2009). Vocalisations of Angolan birds: new descriptions and other notes. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 16(2):151–167. Close ). Advertising call given as a duet is a loud “wit-u-wit” (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ), usually heard at dusk (4 Urban, E. K., C. H. Fry, and S. Keith, Editors (1986). The Birds of Africa. Volume 2. Academic Press, London, UK. Close ), but also given at dawn and until mid morning; the sexes call simultaneously, the presumed female giving a repetitive “chi” or “wit”, 3–4 times per second, and the presumed male a more complex “ti-du-towi”, lacking any apparent coordination (5 Mills, M. S. L. (2009). Vocalisations of Angolan birds: new descriptions and other notes. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 16(2):151–167. Close ). Neighbouring pairs/groups often stimulated to call by first pair to vocalize (5 Mills, M. S. L. (2009). Vocalisations of Angolan birds: new descriptions and other notes. Bulletin of the African Bird Club 16(2):151–167. Close ).

Lays Jan, Mar, Jul in DRCongo and Jun–Aug (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) in Angola. Probably monogamous; generally observed in pairs (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Nest hidden amongst vegetation on ground. Lays c. 5 pale brown (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ) eggs.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Mace Lande: safe. Formerly considered Near Threatened (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Occurs in suitable habitat throughout an area of c. 304,000 km². In Angola, sparsely distributed and uncommon to rare; in DRCongo reasonably common around Gungu; no information from lower R Congo. Nothing known concerning either actual or potential threats, although habitat for the species within Cagandala National Park, Angola, was probably badly degraded during civil war (1 Madge, S., and P. McGowan (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse, including Buttonquails, Sandgrouse and Allies. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close ). Detailed assessment of the species’ status needed, especially regarding its occurrence in protected areas, and also of the efficiency of such areas in safeguarding the species.