Wildlifeof Nepal
Black Francolin
Pheasants, Partridges & Quails
Photo: (c) Jiro Iguchi, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY
Francolinus francolinus
Basic stats
Habitat
Tall grassland for nesting
Range
South-eastern Turkey east through Iran to north-east India and Bangladesh
Clutch size
10–14 eggs
Size
33–36cm
Weight
About 453g
The black francolin is a gamebird of the pheasant family, 33 to 36cm long and about 453g. The male is black with a white cheek patch, a chestnut collar and white spots on the flanks, with a back and wings scalloped in golden brown. The female is mainly brown with a chestnut hind neck. It is the state bird of Haryana in India (Wikipedia, general species account).
The call is a loud, ringing 'klik cheek-cheek-cheerakik', given from an earth mound, rock or low branch, mornings and evenings and almost all day in the breeding season. Males call back and forth across the landscape. It normally nests in tall grassland from late March to May, with clutches of 10 to 14 eggs incubated by the hen alone. The accounts opened do not name Nepal.
Quick answers
- What habitat does the Black Francolin live in?
- Tall grassland for nesting
- Where is the Black Francolin found?
- South-eastern Turkey east through Iran to north-east India and Bangladesh
- How many eggs does the Black Francolin lay?
- 10–14 eggs
- How big is the Black Francolin?
- 33–36cm
- How much does the Black Francolin weigh?
- About 453g