Snapshot Serengeti Talk

Red-necked francolin

  • eland01 by eland01

    Is this the correct name? Or is it Red-necked spurfowl?

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  • tillydad by tillydad moderator

    There is a red-necked spurfowl ( Francolinus afer ) and a grey-breasted spurfowl ( Francolinus rufopictus ) that are very similar in appearance . This appears to be the former 😃

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  • davidbygott by davidbygott moderator

    In my experience red-necked aren't seen in this study area, they are all grey-breasted. Spurfowl and francolin are all in the same genus, and I think the modern usage (e.g. as in EOL) is to call them all francolins...but old habits die hard 😃

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  • tillydad by tillydad moderator

    I have more experience in the Maasai Mara, than the Serengeti, where the red-necked is ubiquitous. There have been records of the grey-breasted there, but they are few and far between. Incredible to think that very similar habitats, with what can only be a few minor differences, support 2 different species but that they seldom overlap. An example of evolutionary forces at work .

    Until such time as all DNA research has been completed and agreement reached with the various organisations overseeing the evolutionary history of differing species I just wish that they would leave well alone ! Old habits do, indeed, die hard with me ! 😃

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