Scaly Spurfowl

Pternistis squamatus (Cassin, 1857)

450 gWeight

The scaly spurfowl (Pternistis squamatus) is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae.

Busiest months: July · Most records: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Scaly Spurfowl has been recorded at 120 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 11 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Mt Kenya NP – Castle Forest and LodgeKenya306 records
Arusha NPTanzania304 records
Aberdare NPKenya129 records

More places

Nairobi NPKenya120 records
Wondo GenetEthiopia80 records
Lake Nakuru NPKenya59 records
Ngorongoro Conservation Area – Ngorongoro CraterTanzania58 records
Bishangari LodgeEthiopia46 records
Big and Small Momela LakesTanzania45 records
Angama LodgeKenya44 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Kenya Tanzania Uganda Ethiopia Cameroon Gabon Congo - Kinshasa Rwanda

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 scaly spurfowl (Pternistis squamatus) is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It is found in Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

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

Questions

How big is the Scaly Spurfowl?

The Scaly Spurfowl weighs around 450 g.

Where does the Scaly Spurfowl live?

Its breeding range: Africa: southeastern Nigeria to northern, eastern DR Congo, Gabon and Congo Republic, eastern DR Congo to Uganda, southern Kenya, Tanzania, northern Malawi and central Ethiopia. It is most often recorded in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

When is the best time to see the Scaly Spurfowl?

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

Is the Scaly Spurfowl endangered?

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

What does the Scaly Spurfowl eat?

Main food: Land plants.

What family is the Scaly Spurfowl in?

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

At a glance

Weight: 450 g
Habitat: Forest
Diet: Land plants
Lifestyle: Active on the ground
Migration: Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 177 mm
Tail: 87 mm
Bill: 26 mm
Tarsus: 47 mm

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

Range

Africa: southeastern Nigeria to northern, eastern DR Congo, Gabon and Congo Republic, eastern DR Congo to Uganda, southern Kenya, Tanzania, northern Malawi and central Ethiopia

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2