Family Pheasants, Partridges, Turkeys, Grouse (Phasianidae)

Least Concern

Black-fronted Francolin (Pternistis atrifrons)

figure, drawing, illustration of Black-fronted Francolin (Pternistis atrifrons)

Taxonomy

French: Francolin à front noir German: Schwarzstirnfrankolin Spanish: Francolín frentinegro
Taxonomy:

Francolinus atrifrons

Conover

, 1930,

Mega, 7000 ft [c. 2130 m], Boran, Ethiopia

.

With P. castaneicollis has been separated in genus Oreocolinus. Hitherto treated as a subspecies of P. castaneicollis, but differs in entirely chestnut-free plumage (3); absence of broad bold grey markings on feathers of breast, flanks and thighs with contrasting white fringes or internal bars (3); breast thereby left with soft-edged arrow-shaped grey scaling (ns) and belly much plainer and unmarked, dull creamy white (1); smaller size, reflected in somewhat smaller bill, legs and feet (sample small; projected score 1). Separation recently reinforced with genetic and bioacoustic data#R. Monotypic.

What do (1) and (2) mean? Learn more about the scoring system.
Distribution:

S Ethiopia (around Mega, in Oromia Region), and recorded also in extreme N Kenya (Moyale).

Descriptive notes

c. 40 cm. Has blackish forehead, this colour extending to lores and superciliary area, and whitish throat; neck and breast buff-brown with some darker streaking; upperparts... read more

Voice

Recent recordings, the first of the species, indicate slight differences from P. castaneicollis... read more

Habitat

Thickets at forest edges and semi-open woodland with extensive areas of low shrubs, interspersed by... read more

Food and feeding

Little information. Presumably takes seeds, as well as such insects as termites (Isoptera).

Breeding

Nothing known, other than observations of juveniles in mid Mar and mid May, suggesting that the species breeds during the main wet season.

Movements

Sedentary; like P. castaneicollis prefers to escape danger on foot, rather than taking... read more

Status and conservation

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Global population unquantified, but the species’ range is estimated by BirdLife to cover 47,600 km², although other commentators have... read more

Recommended citation

del Hoyo, J., Collar, N., Christie, D.A. & Kirwan, G.M. (2018). Black-fronted Francolin (Pternistis atrifrons). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/467102 on 21 July 2018).