Erckel's francolin (Pternistis erckelii, formerly classified as Francolinus erckelii) is the largest of the African francolin species, belonging to the family Phasianidae.
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae |
| Genus | Pternistis |
| Species | Pternistis erckelii |
Erckel's francolin (Pternistis erckelii, formerly classified as Francolinus erckelii) is the largest of the African francolin species, belonging to the family Phasianidae. It measures between 38 and 43 cm in length, and males weigh between 1.05 and 1.59 kg, with females somewhat smaller. It has chestnut-streaked plumage on both the back and the underparts, a black face and bill, a chestnut crown and nape, white ear coverts, a white stripe above the eye and yellow legs.
It is native to the highlands of northern Eritrea, Ethiopia and north-eastern Sudan, where it lives in mountainous areas between 2,000 and 3,500 m above sea level. It was introduced as a game bird to Hawaii in 1957 and has also become established in Italy.
It forages alone or in pairs in scrubland or at the edges of forests, feeding on plant material — berries, seeds and shoots — as well as insects.
Breeding takes place during the rainy season, with laying times varying by locality: in May and between September and November in Ethiopia, and between April and May in Sudan.
It is a monotypic species, with no recognised subspecies, and its common name honours the nineteenth-century German naturalist Theodor Erckel. Its territorial call has been described as a kind of shrill, accelerating cackle.
