Painted Francolin vs Elgon Francolin
Francolinus pictus compared with Scleroptila elgonensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Painted Francolin | Elgon Francolin |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Francolinus pictus | Scleroptila elgonensis |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 27.8 cm (10.9 in) | 34.4 cm (13.5 in) |
| Weight | 291.0 g (10.26 oz) | 478.0 g (16.86 oz) |
| Diet | Eats seeds, grain, invertebrates, and plant material; forages in dry grass and scrubby areas of … | Feeds on seeds and invertebrates in montane grassland and heathland of East African highlands. |
| Clutch Size | 4-8 | 5 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Painted Francolin
Loud, insistent 'ka-TURR-ka' calls from Indian scrub; similar to Black Francolin but slightly higher and less grating. Alarm is rapid cackling cackle. Males call from termite mound or rock at …
Elgon Francolin
Loud, strident 'krak-KRAK-krak' calls from Mount Elgon moorland; ringing and emphatic. Mt Elgon and Ugandan highlands endemic. Alarm is explosive cackling cackle. Pairs call antiphonally at dawn.
Geographic Range & Migration
Painted Francolin
Endemic to India; resident of open scrub, dry grassland, and farmland across most of peninsular India.
Elgon Francolin
Resident of Afroalpine moorland on Mount Elgon (Kenya/Uganda border), above 3,000 m; very restricted range.
Conservation Status
Painted Francolin
Elgon Francolin
How to Tell Them Apart
Painted Francolin
Richly patterned; black above with large white spots; rufous-orange face and throat; white-spotted black flanks; rufous-chestnut underparts with black shaft streaks. Female lacks rufous on face; duller below.
Elgon Francolin
Brown above with buff shaft streaks and dark spotting; pale buff underparts with dark brown streaking; white throat; rufous wing flash; yellow bill; red legs in male, yellow in female; …
About These Birds
Painted Francolin
A small Phasianidae francolin (~291 g) of rocky hillsides, scrub, and dry grassland across peninsular India and Sri Lanka. Both sexes are intricately spotted and streaked in rufous and white. Shy; detected by resonant calls. Feeds on seeds and invertebrates on the ground. Least Concern; common locally.
Elgon Francolin
A medium Phasianidae francolin (~478 g) of highland grassland and heathland on the slopes of Mount Elgon and neighbouring mountains in Uganda and Kenya. Typically found above 2,400 m. Brown-streaked and well camouflaged. Feeds on seeds and invertebrates; occurs in pairs or small groups. Least Concern.