Wildlifeof Nepal
Grey Francolin
Pheasants, Partridges & Quails
Photo: (c) arifa_firoz, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · CC-BY-SA
Ortygornis pondicerianus
Basic stats
Habitat
Open cultivated land and scrub forest
Range
Plains and drier parts of the Indian subcontinent and Iran
Clutch size
6–8 eggs
Size
Males 29–34cm; females 26–30cm
Weight
Males 260–340g; females 200–310g
The grey francolin is a medium-sized, ground-living gamebird of the plains and drier parts of the Indian subcontinent and Iran, found in open cultivated land and scrub forest. Males average 29 to 34cm and 260 to 340g, and females 26 to 30cm and 200 to 310g. Its local name, teetar, imitates its loud repeated call (Wikipedia, general species account).
During the breeding season calling males draw challengers, and decoys were once used to trap them for fighting. The clutch is six to eight eggs, though larger clutches, possibly from several females laying in one nest, have been noted. It was formerly placed in the genus Francolinus and moved to Ortygornis after a 2019 study, and three subspecies are recognised. The sources opened do not describe it in Nepal.
Quick answers
- What habitat does the Grey Francolin live in?
- Open cultivated land and scrub forest
- Where is the Grey Francolin found?
- Plains and drier parts of the Indian subcontinent and Iran
- How many eggs does the Grey Francolin lay?
- 6–8 eggs
- How big is the Grey Francolin?
- Males 29–34cm; females 26–30cm
- How much does the Grey Francolin weigh?
- Males 260–340g; females 200–310g