Natal Spurfowl (Pternistis natalensis)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Natal Spurfowl

Pternistis natalensis (Smith, A, 1833)

508 gWeight

The Natal spurfowl or Natal francolin (Pternistis natalensis) is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae.

Busiest months: October–November · Most records: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: October–November · Most records: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia

Natal Spurfowl has been recorded at 108 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 6 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Kruger NP – Skukuza CampSouth Africa616 records
  2. Kruger NP – Satara CampSouth Africa486 records
  3. Kruger NP – Letaba CampSouth Africa430 records
More places
  1. Zaagkuildrift RdSouth Africa388 records
  2. Pilanesberg NPSouth Africa363 records
  3. Kruger NP – Berg-en-Dal CampSouth Africa362 records
  4. Walter Sisulu National Botanical GardenSouth Africa321 records
  5. Kruger NP – Lower Sabie Rest CampSouth Africa310 records
  6. Kruger NP – Shingwedzi CampSouth Africa221 records
  7. Kruger NP – Punda Maria CampSouth Africa214 records

Countries and regions with the most records

South AfricaZimbabweZambiaEswatiniBotswanaMozambique

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The Natal spurfowl or Natal francolin (Pternistis natalensis) is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Natal Spurfowl?

The Natal Spurfowl weighs around 508 g.

Where does the Natal Spurfowl live?

Its breeding range: Africa: southern Zambia and Zimbabwe to western Mozambique and northeastern South Africa. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

When is the best time to see the Natal Spurfowl?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October and November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Natal Spurfowl endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Natal Spurfowl as Least Concern.

What does the Natal Spurfowl eat?

Main food: Land plants.

What family is the Natal Spurfowl in?

It belongs to the family Pheasants & Allies (Phasianidae), order Galliformes.

At a glance

Weight
508 g
Habitat
Shrubland
Diet
Land plants
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
171 mm
Tail
85 mm
Bill
28 mm
Tarsus
47 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: southern Zambia and Zimbabwe to western Mozambique and northeastern South Africa

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Pheasants & Allies Phasianidae
Genus
Pternistis

Other birds in the genus Pternistis

Natal Spurfowl

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by maritzasouthafrica. ↗

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