Painted Francolin
Encyclopedia
The Painted Francolin or Painted Partridge (Francolinus pictus) is a species of Francolin
found in grassy areas in central and southern India
and in the lowlands of southeastern Sri Lanka
. They are easily detected by their loud calls especially during the breeding season. Thomas C. Jerdon
noted that the species was found mainly in Central India south of the Narmada and to the east of the Western Ghats as well as the Chota Nagpur and Northern Circars. It can be confused only with the Black Francolin
with which it partly overlaps and is said to sometimes hybridize. This species can be told apart from the female of a Black Francolin by the lack of a rufous hind collar and the white spots on the underside. The face is rufous and there is no dark stripe running behind the eye.
along its northern and appears similar to the female of that species but has no rufous hindcollar, instead having a bright rufous face and throat. The underside has white spots while the legs are orange-yellow to red. It is more arboreal in its habits than the Black Francolin. The legs of both sexes have no spurs.
The species was described based on a specimen obtained by John Atherton (commemorated in Nyctyornis athertoni), a nephew of P. J. Selby
, who was posted in Bangalore
. The type locality has been designated as Bangalore although the specimen likely came from further north.
Three subspecies have been named. The nominate population are from Central and South India south of 20°N while to the north is the form pallidus (type locality Udaipur). This form is paler on the upperparts. The Sri Lankan race is watsoni. In Sri Lanka it has a restricted distribution and is found from the Uvala patanas east to the low-country of Nilgala and Bibile.
Populations change during and after the monsoons, and hunters have been known to capture large numbers of nearly 300 from some areas.
.
They feed on grass seeds as well as grains of cultivated rice. Beetles and other insects are also eaten. They also feed on the tuberous roots of Cyperus rotundus
.
When walking around it sometimes has the habit of cocking up its tail and when disturbed it usually freezes and flushes only when approached very close. It roosts in trees but sometimes also on the ground.
Francolin
Francolins are birds that traditionally have been placed in the genus Francolinus, but now commonly are divided into multiple genera , although some of the major taxonomic listing sources have yet to divide them. They are members of the pheasant family, Phasianidae...
found in grassy areas in central and southern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and in the lowlands of southeastern Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. They are easily detected by their loud calls especially during the breeding season. Thomas C. Jerdon
Thomas C. Jerdon
Thomas Caverhill Jerdon was a British physician, zoologist and botanist. He is best remembered for his pioneering works on the ornithology of India...
noted that the species was found mainly in Central India south of the Narmada and to the east of the Western Ghats as well as the Chota Nagpur and Northern Circars. It can be confused only with the Black Francolin
Black Francolin
The Black Francolin, Francolinus francolinus, is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds. It was formerly known as the Black Partridge.-Identification:...
with which it partly overlaps and is said to sometimes hybridize. This species can be told apart from the female of a Black Francolin by the lack of a rufous hind collar and the white spots on the underside. The face is rufous and there is no dark stripe running behind the eye.
Description
This species is endemic to the Indian Subcontinent. It is distributed patchily from Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh south into peninsular India (but not along the Malabar coast and rare south of Coimbatore) and in Sri Lanka. The species interbreeds with the Black FrancolinBlack Francolin
The Black Francolin, Francolinus francolinus, is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds. It was formerly known as the Black Partridge.-Identification:...
along its northern and appears similar to the female of that species but has no rufous hindcollar, instead having a bright rufous face and throat. The underside has white spots while the legs are orange-yellow to red. It is more arboreal in its habits than the Black Francolin. The legs of both sexes have no spurs.
The species was described based on a specimen obtained by John Atherton (commemorated in Nyctyornis athertoni), a nephew of P. J. Selby
Prideaux John Selby
Prideaux John Selby was an English ornithologist, botanist and artist and landowner.Selby is best known for his Illustrations of British Ornithology , the first set of life-sized illustrations of British birds...
, who was posted in Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
. The type locality has been designated as Bangalore although the specimen likely came from further north.
Three subspecies have been named. The nominate population are from Central and South India south of 20°N while to the north is the form pallidus (type locality Udaipur). This form is paler on the upperparts. The Sri Lankan race is watsoni. In Sri Lanka it has a restricted distribution and is found from the Uvala patanas east to the low-country of Nilgala and Bibile.
Populations change during and after the monsoons, and hunters have been known to capture large numbers of nearly 300 from some areas.
Distribution and habitat
The distribution of this species is to the south of the range of the Black Francolin. It is found patchily distributed in semi-dry undulating grasslands with scrub or cultivation. It is found in drier areas than the Black Francolin but wetter zones than the Grey FrancolinGrey Francolin
The Grey Francolin Francolinus pondicerianus is a species of francolin found in the plains and drier parts of South Asia...
.
Behaviour and ecology
They are not easy to spot but become vocal during the breeding season after the Monsoons, from June to October. The call is made in the early morning and has been described as guttural broken crow "chee-kee-kerray- Chee-kee-kerray" which is answered by other birds in the vicinity. A preliminary click may be heard when at close range. It is usually seen calling from an elevated position such as a mound, bush or tree stump. During the non-breeding season, they may call at dusk. The nest is a scrape in the ground. Six or seven smoky white eggs are laid.They feed on grass seeds as well as grains of cultivated rice. Beetles and other insects are also eaten. They also feed on the tuberous roots of Cyperus rotundus
Cyperus rotundus
Cyperus rotundus is a species of sedge native to Africa, southern and central Europe , and southern Asia. The word cyperus derives from the Greek "κύπερος" and rotundus is from Latin, meaning "round"...
.
When walking around it sometimes has the habit of cocking up its tail and when disturbed it usually freezes and flushes only when approached very close. It roosts in trees but sometimes also on the ground.