Moorland francolin

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Moorland francolin
FrancolinusSpilolaemusSmit.jpg
Illustration of S. psilolaema by Joseph Smit, 1893
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Genus: Scleroptila
Species:
S. psilolaema
Binomial name
Scleroptila psilolaema
(Gray, GR, 1867)
Synonyms
  • Francolinus psilolaemus
  • Scleroptila psilolaemus

The moorland francolin (Scleroptila psilolaema) is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae.

Contents

Distribution

It is endemic to the Ethiopian montane moorlands. [1]

Taxonomy

The Elgon francolin of the highlands of Kenya and Uganda was formerly considered a subspecies of S. psilolaema, but was split as a distinct species by the IUCN Red List and BirdLife International in 2014, and by the International Ornithological Congress in 2022 based on a 2019 study. [2] Compared to the moorland francolin, the Elgon francolin is brighter (more rufescent) and lacks black spots to the throat, and also differs in vocalizations. [3] [4]

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References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2012). "Scleroptila psilolaema". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  2. abc_admin (2019-05-13). "Elgon Francolin Scleroptila elgonensis should be treated as a species distinct from Moorland Francolin S. psilolaema". African Bird Club. Retrieved 2022-01-29.
  3. McGowan, P. J. K. (1994). Moorland Francolin (Francolinus elgonensis). Pp. 494 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
  4. "IOC World Bird List 12.1". IOC World Bird List Datasets. doi:10.14344/ioc.ml.12.1 . Retrieved 2022-01-29.