Pternistis swainsonii

Swainson’s Spurfowl is a fairly large (up to 800g) type of francolin. They are normally encountered in pairs or small groups numbering up to 6 in woodland, savanna, grassland and planted fields, where they subsist on seeds, berries, other plant material and insects.

In South Africa, these birds breed mostly in summer and autumn, although nesting has been recorded throughout the year. Nests are well-hidden scrapes in the ground in which up to 7 eggs are laid.

Swainson’s Spurfowl is a common resident of South Africa’s northern provinces (Kwazulu-Natal, Free State, Gauteng, North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga). Outside of our borders they occur in Lesotho, Swaziland, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Zambia, and marginally into Malawi. Despite being hunted as food, the IUCN considers Swainson’s Spurfowl as being of “Least Concern” owing to an abundant and aparently stable population.

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl bidding us goodbye near Orpen

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl hen with her brood

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Swainson’s Spurfowl (photo by Joubert)