The yellow-necked francolin, also known as the yellow-necked spurfowl ( Pternistis leucoscepus , formerly Francolinus leucoscepus ), is a galliform bird of the family Phasianidae native to eastern Africa.
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae |
| Genus | Pternistis |
| Species | P. leucoscepus |
The yellow-necked francolin, also known as the yellow-necked spurfowl (Pternistis leucoscepus, formerly Francolinus leucoscepus), is a galliform bird of the family Phasianidae native to eastern Africa. It takes its name from the striking patch of bare yellow skin on its throat, which contrasts with the mottled brown plumage of the rest of the body and the reddish ring around the eye.
It is a medium-sized, sturdily built francolin, adapted to life on the ground in arid and semi-arid areas.
It lives in eastern Africa, with a presence in Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda, occupying savannahs, dry scrub and areas of thorny bushes.
Like other francolins, its diet is omnivorous and is based on seeds, shoots and small invertebrates, which it finds by scratching at the ground with its feet.
It is a ground-dwelling bird that nests on the ground, in a hollow hidden among the vegetation, following the breeding pattern typical of African francolins.
The patch of bare yellow skin on the throat, which gives the species its name, becomes more conspicuous during courtship displays and territorial interactions between males.
