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. I have no information of this species in American collections.

Click on thumbnails for larger views.

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

Additional photos would be greatly appreciated, e-mail lophura@hughes.net if you can help.

• 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.