Crested Francolin

(Francolinus sephaena)

• Avicultural Data
• Images
• Bibliography
• Links

Other Names: Peliperdix sephaena; Crested Partridge, Kirk's Francolin rovuma, Grant's Francolin grantii, Spotted Francolin spilogaster, Smith's Francolin

Range: Eastern & Southern Africa - from southern Sudan, Ehtiopia and Somalia south to Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Natal.

Subspecies: F. s. sephaena, F. s. zambesiae, F. s. granti, F. s. rovuma, F. s. spilogaster; rovuma was once treated as a separate species, Kirk's Francolin.

Habitat: Scrublands.

Brief Description: Quite attractive and well marked francolin, both sexes with broad white supercillium with dark crown and eye-stripe; upper parts mottled buff and black, lower breast and belly buff, streaked with white; back, wings and tail brown, streaked with white and very fine black vermiculations; rovuma, the lower breast streaked with black. Females generally spurless, smaller and the back more barred.

Status in Wild: Widespread and locally common.

Avicultural Data

Status in Aviculture: Robbins (1998) reported that this species was bred by members of the WPA quail group in the UK. As in several species of African Francolin, there have been rumors of importation in recent years, but as in the others, it is unknown if viable captive programs have been established or the birds ended up in the hands of brokers. If there are birds in the US, a cooperative breeding program should be established.

Click on thumbnails for larger views.

Photo Credits
(l to r): 1, Martin Kramer.

• Johnsgard, P.A. 1988. The Quails, Partridges, and Francolins of the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
• Madge, S., McGowan, P. 2002. Pheasants, Partridges, and Grouse. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.
• Robbins, G.E.S. 1998. Partridges & Francolins, their Conservation, Breeding & Management. World Pheasant Association.
• Sinclair, I., Ryan, P. 2003. Birds of Africa, South of the Sahara. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.
• Zimmerman, D., Turner, D., Pearson, D., 1999. Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.

Links related to this species. Please note, links will open in a new window.

• Crested Francolin - African Bird Image Database by African Bird Club/Birding Africa.
• Crested Francolin - Image and fact sheet from kenyabirds.org.
• Crested Francolin - Mangoverde World Bird Guide Species Page; Images & Sounds.
• Francolinus sephaena Images - Images of this species located at the Phasianidae group on flickr.
• Wikipedia - Crested Francolin - Wikipedia's species page.