Red-winged Francolin vs African Blue Quail
Scleroptila levaillantii compared with Synoicus adansonii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Red-winged Francolin | African Blue Quail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Scleroptila levaillantii | Synoicus adansonii |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 32.5 cm (12.8 in) | 14.9 cm (5.9 in) |
| Weight | 448.75 g (15.83 oz) | 41.666666666666664 g (1.47 oz) |
| Diet | Forages for seeds, invertebrates, and plant matter in South African grassland and fynbos; scratches soil. | Feeds on small grass seeds, invertebrates, and plant matter in African tropical grassland and wetland … |
| Clutch Size | 3-5 | 3-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Red-winged Francolin only
None
African Blue Quail only
Song & Call Comparison
Red-winged Francolin
Ringing, emphatic 'keee-KRAK-keee' call series; S African highland grassland species. Alarm is explosive cackling with flush; rufous wing patches visible in flight. Pairs call antiphonally at dawn.
African Blue Quail
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.
Geographic Range & Migration
Red-winged Francolin
Resident of highland grassland and montane scrub in eastern South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal to Northern Cape) and Lesotho.
African Blue Quail
Nomadic resident of open grassland, wetland edge, and savanna across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia and south to Angola.
Conservation Status
Red-winged Francolin
African Blue Quail
How to Tell Them Apart
Red-winged Francolin
Brown above with buff shaft streaks; white-streaked dark brown underparts; rufous-chestnut primaries diagnostic in flight; white throat; red bill; red legs in male, yellow in female. Grassland species.
African Blue Quail
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 …
About These Birds
Red-winged Francolin
A medium Phasianidae francolin (~449 g) of montane grassland and open country in eastern and southern Africa. Rufous-red wing patches are conspicuous in flight. Inhabits high-altitude open grassland. Feeds on grass seeds, tubers, and invertebrates. Calls loudly in the morning; forms loose groups. Least Concern.
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.