The painted francolin (Francolinus pictus) belongs to the family Phasianidae. These species of francolin are found in central and southern India and also in southeastern Sri Lanka. There are three subspecies of these francolins. The subspecies F. p. pallidus occurs in northcentral India. The subspecies F. p. pictus is found in central and south India. The subspecies F. p. watsoni occurs in Sri Lanka.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has categorized and evaluated these bird species and has listed them as of "least concern".
These species of birds are small in size, measuring 30 cm in length and weighing 250 to 350 grams. The face is rufous and the legs are yellowish orange. The females are paler than the males. The legs are devoid of spurs.
These birds inhabit grasslands. They feed on seeds, weeds, grains, cereals, berries and insects. These francolins breed during June and September. The nest is a scrape in the ground. About six eggs are seen in a clutch.
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| Indian birds - Painted francolin - Francolinus pictus |
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| Davidvraju | License: CC BY-SA 4.0 as on 7/25/18 |
| Biological classification of Francolinus pictus | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Galliformes |
| Family: | Phasianidae |
| Subfamily: | Perdicinae |
| Genus: | Francolinus |
| Species: | F. pictus |
| Binomial name: | Francolinus pictus |
| Distribution: | endemic species of Indian Subcontinent; central and southern India; |
| Feeding habits: | seeds, insects, roots, bulbs, fruits and leaves; |
| IUCN status listing: | Least Concern |
Image source: wikipedia.org/wiki/ File:Painted_Francolin_CME1.jpg
Author: AshLin | License: CC BY-SA 3.0
Current topic in Birds of India: Painted francolin - Francolinus pictus.