Scaly Francolin
Pternistis squamatus
Silhouette: Amanda Kuhlman · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderGalliformes (Landfowl)
- FamilyPhasianidae (Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies)
- GenusPternistis (African Spurfowl)
- SpeciesPternistis squamatus (Scaly Francolin)
About the Scaly Francolin
The scaly spurfowl (Pternistis squamatus) is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It is found in Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
The scaly spurfowl was formally described in 1857 by the American ornithologist John Cassin from specimens collected by Paul Du Chaillu in the Cape Lopez region in what is now the West Africa state of Gabon. Cassin coined the binomial name Francolinus squamatus. The specific epithet squamatus is Latin for "scaled". The species is now placed in the genus Pternistis that was introduced by the German naturalist Johann Georg Wagler in 1832. A phylogenetic study published in 2019 found that the scaly spurfowl is a sister species to the Ahanta spurfowl.
Three subspecies are now recognised: Pternistis squamatus squamatus (Cassin, 1857) — southeast Nigeria to north and east Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), Gabon and the Republic of the Congo (R Congo) Pternistis squamatus schuetti (Cabanis, 1880) — east R Congo to Uganda, central and... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Scaly Francolin in Lake Nakuru National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Lake Nakuru National Park
Hildebrandt's Francolin
Pternistis hildebrandti
Yellow-necked Francolin
Pternistis leucoscepus
Coqui Francolin
Campocolinus coqui
Shelley's Francolin
Scleroptila shelleyi
Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo
Crested Francolin
Ortygornis sephaena
Harlequin Quail
Coturnix delegorguei
Helmeted Guineafowl
Numida meleagris
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aberdare National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 2 | Arusha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 3 | Nairobi National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 4 | Kibale National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 5 | Queen Elizabeth National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 6 | Lake Mburo National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 7 | Lake Manyara National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 8 | Ngorongoro Conservation Area | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 9 | Akagera National Park | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | |
| 10 | Murchison Falls National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 11 | Masai Mara National Reserve | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 12 | Nyungwe National Park | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | |
| 13 | Lake Nakuru National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 14 | Virunga National Park | 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo | |
| 15 | Serengeti National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 16 | Tarangire National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 17 | Ruaha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 18 | Liwonde National Park | 🇲🇼 Malawi | |
| 19 | Semuliki National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda | |
| 20 | Bwindi Impenetrable National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Scaly Francolin in Lake Nakuru National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Scaly Francolin sighting in Lake Nakuru National Park, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Scaly Francolin in Lake Nakuru National Park?
June has the highest sighting rate for Scaly Francolin in Lake Nakuru National Park in our monthly data.