Schlegel's Francolin vs African Blue Quail

Campocolinus schlegelii compared with Synoicus adansonii

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Schlegel's Francolin African Blue Quail
Scientific Name Campocolinus schlegelii Synoicus adansonii
Order Galliformes Galliformes
Family Phasianidae Phasianidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 14.9 cm (5.9 in)
Weight 237.0 g (8.36 oz) 41.666666666666664 g (1.47 oz)
Diet Feeds on seeds and invertebrates in West African savanna and gallery forest edge; poorly studied. Feeds on small grass seeds, invertebrates, and plant matter in African tropical grassland and wetland …
Clutch Size 2-5 3-9
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

None

Schlegel's Francolin only

None

African Blue Quail only

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Song & Call Comparison

Schlegel's Francolin

Song

Rasping 'krek-krek-KREEK' repeated insistently; W-Central African forest-savanna species. Alarm is rapid harsh cackling. Pairs call in loose duet. Poorly studied relative to congeners.

African Blue Quail

Song

High, thin 'wee-wee-wee-wee' whistle in series; tiny, cryptic African grassland quail. Alarm is a sharp 'pip'. Very quiet overall; contact clucks barely audible. Calls at dawn and dusk.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Schlegel's Francolin

Resident of forest-savanna mosaic and gallery forest in West and Central Africa from Sierra Leone to the Central African Republic.

African Blue Quail

Nomadic resident of open grassland, wetland edge, and savanna across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia and south to Angola.

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Conservation Status

Least Concern

Schlegel's Francolin

Least Concern

African Blue Quail

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How to Tell Them Apart

Schlegel's Francolin

Plumage

Pale sandy-brown above with darker brown streaking; buff underparts with dark brown barring on flanks; whitish throat; yellowish legs and bill. Sexes similar; one of the smaller West African francolins.

African Blue Quail

Plumage

Male dark slaty-blue overall with chestnut flanks; white face markings with black border; similar to Asian Blue Quail. Female brown with buff streaking; pale underparts. African counterpart of Asian Blue …

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About These Birds

Schlegel's Francolin

A small Phasianidae francolin (~237 g) of rocky, grassy slopes and wooded savanna in Central and East Africa. Plumage is finely barred and streaked brown. Often found at higher elevations than related species. Feeds on seeds, berries, and small invertebrates. Least Concern; range largely away from intense agricultural pressure.

African Blue Quail

A tiny Phasianidae quail (~42 g) of tall grasses and moist savanna across sub-Saharan Africa. Males have a slaty-blue face and rusty-buff flanks; one of Africa's smallest birds. Highly secretive; rarely flushed. Feeds on tiny grass seeds and invertebrates. Migratory or nomadic following rains. Least Concern.

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