{{Short description|Group of birds}} {{Paraphyletic group | auto = yes | image = Grey Francolin Francolinus pondicerianus by Dr. Raju Kasambe DSCN6550 (5).jpg | image_caption = Grey francolin | parent = Gallini | includes_text = Genera | includes = ''Peliperdix''<br> ''Ortygornis''<br> ''Francolinus''<br> ''Campocolinus''<br> ''Scleroptila'' }}
'''Francolins''' are birds in the tribe Gallini that traditionally have been placed in the genus ''Francolinus'', but now commonly are divided into multiple genera.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Galliformes|url=http://www.bird-phylogeny.de/superorders/galloanseres/galliformes/|access-date=2021-08-22|website=bird-phylogeny|language=de-DE}}</ref>
As previously defined, they were paraphyletic as the genus ''Pternistis'', which was previously included in ''Francolinus'', is more closely related to Old World quails than it is to the other francolins. Beginning in 2004, various ornithologists have recommended that it would be clearer to use "spurfowl" for all members of the genus ''Pternistis'' and restrict the use of "francolin" to the other species presently or formerly classified in ''Francolinus''.<ref name=":1">{{cite journal|last1=Crowe|first1=T.M.|last2=Little|first2=R.M.|year=2004|title=Francolins, partridges and spurfowls: what's in a name|journal=Ostrich|volume=75|issue=4|pages=199–203|doi=10.2989/00306520409485445|bibcode=2004Ostri..75..199C |s2cid=83631933}}</ref> When ''Pternistis'' is excluded, the francolins form a monophyletic clade that is a sister group to a clade comprising the junglefowl (''Gallus'') and the bamboo partridges (''Bambusicola''); together, these clades compose the tribe Gallini.<ref name=":0" />
Although formerly classified in the partridge subfamily Perdicinae, this classification is no longer supported, and they are now classified in the subfamily Pavoninae.<ref name=":0" />
Francolins are terrestrial (though not flightless) birds that feed on insects, vegetable matter and seeds. Most of the members have a hooked upper beak, well-suited for digging at the bases of grass tussocks and rootballs. They have wide tails with fourteen rectrix feathers. Most species exhibit spurs on the tarsi.<ref>B P Hall (1963) The Francolins, a study in speciation. Bulletin of the British Museum 10(2):105-204 [https://archive.org/details/bulletinofbritis10zoollond Scan]</ref>
==Distribution== Of the approximately 17 extant species, the natural range of five (composing the genus ''Francolinus'' and ''Ortygornis'') are restricted to Asia, while the remaining genera are restricted to Africa.<ref name=HBW>McGowan, P. J. K. (1994). Francolins (genus ''Francolinus''). Pp. 489-504 in: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., & Sargatal, J. eds. (1994). ''Handbook of the Birds of the World.'' Vol. 2. New World Vultures to Guineafowl. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. {{ISBN|84-87334-15-6}}</ref> Several species have been introduced to other parts of the world, notably Hawaii.
Twelve of the species which occur in Africa are found in the subcontinental region of southern Africa; of these, seven occur in varying proportions within the political boundaries of Namibia and Zambia. Six southern African francolins are considered endemic to the subcontinent, of which three are found in Namibia and Zambia (the Hartlaub's, red-billed and Orange River francolins).
The Cape spurfowl, endemic to the Cape Province of South Africa, occurs marginally in southern Namibia and southwestern Zambia. A fossil francolin, ''Francolinus capeki'', has been described from Late Pliocene deposits of Hungary; the contemporary fossil galliforms ''"Francolinus" minor'' and ''"F." subfrancolinus'' are now placed in ''Palaeocryptonyx''.
==Taxonomy== Until the early 1990s, major authorities placed all francolins in the genus ''Francolinus''.<ref name=HBW/> In 1992 it was suggested that this treatment was problematic, and the francolins should be split into four genera: ''Francolinus'' for the Asian species, and the African species divided into ''Peliperdix'', ''Scleroptila'' and ''Pternistis''.<ref name=Crowe1992>Crowe, T. M., Harley, E. H., Jakutowic, M. B., Komen, J., & Crowe, A. A. (1992). ''Phylogenetic, taxonomic and biogeographical implications of genetic, morphological, and behavioral variation in Francolins (Phasianidae: Francolinus).'' Auk 109(1): 24-42.</ref> The crested francolin and Nahan's francolin were considered possibly quite distinct, but still maintained in ''Peliperdix'' and ''Pternistis'' respectively.<ref name=Crowe1992/> Based on further evidence, the crested francolin was moved to the monotypic genus ''Dendroperdix'' in 1998,<ref name=BloomerCrowe>Bloomer, P, & Crowe, T. M. (1998). ''Francolin phylogenetics: molecular, morphobehavioral, and combined evidence.'' Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 9(2): 236-54.</ref> and the Nahan's francolin was moved to ''Ptilopachus'' in 2006.<ref name=Crowe2006>Crowe, T. M., Bowie, R.C.K., Bloomer, P., Mandiwana, T.G., Hedderson, T.A.J., Randi, E., Pereira, S., & Wakeling, J. (2006). ''Phylogenetics, biogeography and classification of, and character evolution in, gamebirds (Aves: Galliformes): Effects of character exclusion, data partitioning and missing data.'' Cladistics 22: 495-532.</ref> Though some still maintain all these in ''Francolinus'',<ref name=HowardMoore>Dickinson, E. C. eds. (2003). ''The Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World''. 3rd edition. {{ISBN|0-7136-6536-X}}</ref><ref name=Clements>Clements, J. F. (2007). ''The Clements Checklist of the Birds of the World''. Christopher Helm, London. {{ISBN|978-0-7136-8695-1}}</ref> the split into multiple genera is becoming more widespread.<ref name=subsahara>Sinclair, I., & Ryan, P. (2003). ''Birds of Africa south of the Sahara.'' Struik Publishers, Cape Town. {{ISBN|1-86872-857-9}}</ref><ref name=IOC>Gill, F, & Donsker, D. eds. (2010). ''[http://www.worldbirdnames.org/ IOC World Bird Names].'' Version 2.7. Accessed 15 January 2011.</ref> In 2021, two species in ''Francolinus'' (the grey and swamp francolins) along with the crested francolin were moved into the genus ''Ortygornis'', while three species from ''Peliperdix'' (the coqui, white-throated, and Schlegel's francolins) were moved into the new genus ''Campocolinus''. ''Pternistis'' was moved to the tribe Coturnicini and, as with Nahan's "francolin", is no longer considered a francolin.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Crowe|first1=Timothy M.|last2=Mandiwana-Neudani|first2=Tshifhiwa G.|last3=Donsker|first3=David B.|last4=Bowie|first4=Rauri CK|last5=Little|first5=Robin M.|date=2020-04-02|title=Resolving nomenclatural 'confusion' vis-à-vis Latham's Francolin (Francolinus/Peliperdix/Afrocolinus lathami) and the 'Red-tailed' francolins (Francolinus/Ortygornis/Peliperdix spp.)|url=https://doi.org/10.2989/00306525.2020.1723140|journal=Ostrich|volume=91|issue=2|pages=134–136|doi=10.2989/00306525.2020.1723140|bibcode=2020Ostri..91..134C |s2cid=219442370 |issn=0030-6525|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Mandiwana-Neudani|first1=Tshifhiwa G.|last2=Little|first2=Robin M.|last3=Crowe|first3=Timothy M.|last4=Bowie|first4=Rauri CK|date=2019-05-04|title=Taxonomy, phylogeny and biogeography of African spurfowls Galliformes, Phasianidae, Phasianinae, Coturnicini: Pternistis spp.|url=https://doi.org/10.2989/00306525.2019.1584925|journal=Ostrich|volume=90|issue=2|pages=145–172|doi=10.2989/00306525.2019.1584925|bibcode=2019Ostri..90..145M |s2cid=195417777 |issn=0030-6525|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|date=2021-05-01|title=A phylogenomic supermatrix of Galliformes (Landfowl) reveals biased branch lengths|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1055790321000245|journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution|language=en|volume=158|article-number=107091|doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107091|issn=1055-7903|last1=Kimball |first1=Rebecca T. |last2=Hosner |first2=Peter A. |last3=Braun |first3=Edward L. |pmid=33545275 |bibcode=2021MolPE.15807091K |s2cid=231963063 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Taxonomic Updates – IOC World Bird List|url=https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/updates/taxonomy/|access-date=2021-07-14|language=en-US}}</ref>
When split, the English name "francolin" is generally restricted to the members of the genera ''Francolinus'', ''Ortygornis'', ''Campocolinus'', ''Peliperdix'' and ''Scleroptila'',<ref name="subsahara" /><ref name="IOC" /> while the name "spurfowl" is used for ''Pternistis'' ("spurfowl" is also used for ''Galloperdix'' of the Indian subcontinent).<ref name="subsahara" /><ref name="IOC" /> As the Nahan's "francolin" is related to the stone partridge rather than the true francolins and spurfowl,<ref name="Crowe2006" /><ref name="Crowe2010">Crowe, T. (2010). ''Phylogenetic affinities of enigmatic African galliforms: the stone partridge Ptilopachus petrosus and Latham's and Nahan's 'francolins' Francolinus lathami and F. nahani.'' Cladistics 26: 206-206. (Abstract).</ref> its name is sometimes modified to Nahan's partridge.<ref name="IOC" />
In addition to the major changes proposed at genus level, the species level taxonomy among several francolins/spurfowl is disputed. For example, the distribution of the Orange River francolin (''Scleroptila levaillantoides'') is highly disjunct, leading some authorities to split the northern taxa (from Kenya and northwards) into a separate species, the acacia/Archer's francolin (''S. gutturalis'', with subspecies ''lorti''), while maintaining the southern taxa (from Angola and southwards) in the Orange River francolin.<ref name=HBW/> Most authorities treat the Elgon francolin (''S''. ''psilolaema elgonensis'') as a subspecies of the moorland francolin,<ref name=HBW/><ref name=HowardMoore/><ref name=Clements/><ref name=subsahara/> but others have suggested it is a species (''S''. ''elgonensis''), a subspecies of the Shelley's francolin,<ref name=HBW/> or even a hybrid between the moorland and red-winged francolins.<ref>{{cite book |title= Handbook of avian hybrids of the world |author= McCarthy, Eugene M. |year= 2006|publisher= Oxford University Press US |isbn= 978-0-19-518323-8|pages= 50 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MwInO7z_Y3oC&q=Francolinus+elgonensis&pg=PA49 }}</ref>
===Species=== * '''''Peliperdix''''': ** Latham's francolin, ''Peliperdix lathami'' *'''''Ortygornis''''': **Crested francolin, ''Ortygornis'' ''sephaena'' **Grey francolin, ''Ortygornis pondicerianus'' ** Swamp francolin, ''Ortygornis gularis'' *'''''Francolinus''''': ** Black francolin, ''Francolinus francolinus'' ** Painted francolin, ''Francolinus pictus'' ** Chinese francolin, ''Francolinus pintadeanus'' *'''''Campocolinus''''': **Coqui francolin, ''Campocolinus coqui'' ** White-throated francolin, ''Campocolinus albogularis'' ** Schlegel's francolin, ''Campocolinus schlegelii'' * '''''Scleroptila''''': ** Ring-necked francolin, ''Scleroptila streptophora'' **Red-winged francolin, ''Scleroptila levaillantii'' ** Finsch's francolin, ''Scleroptila finschi'' **Moorland francolin, ''Scleroptila psilolaema'' ** Grey-winged francolin, ''Scleroptila afra'' ** Orange River francolin, ''Scleroptila gutturalis'' ** Shelley's francolin, ''Scleroptila shelleyi'' With a paraphyletic classification, the genus ''Pternistis'' in the tribe Coturnicini is also considered a francolin; due to the resulting paraphyly, this classification is no longer supported and has been recommended against.<ref name=":1" />
== References == {{Reflist}}
* {{Cite journal |last1=Kimball |first1=R. T. |last2=Braun |first2=E. L. |last3=Zwartjes |first3=P. W. |last4=Crowe |first4=T. M. |last5=Ligon |first5=J. D. |date=February 1999 |title=A Molecular Phylogeny of the Pheasants and Partridges Suggests That These Lineages Are Not Monophyletic |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1055790398905620 |url-access=subscription |journal=Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=38–54 |doi=10.1006/mpev.1998.0562 |pmid=10082609 |access-date=7 April 2026}}
== External links == {{Commons category|Francolinus}} {{Wiktionary}} {{Wikiquote}} *[http://ibc.lynxeds.com/family/pheasants-partridges-phasianidae Francolin videos] on the Internet Bird Collection *{{Cite AmCyc|wstitle=Francolin |short=x}}
{{Phasianidae|state=all}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Francolin}} Category:Gallini (bird) Category:Bird common names