Orange River Francolin (Francolinus levaillantoides) Information

Orange River Francolin

The Orange River Francolin (Scleroptila levaillantoides) is a species of bird in the Phasianidae family found in grassland and woodland in Africa. In the taxa from the northern part of its distribution (Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, Uganda and Kenya), the neck-line does not reach the eye and the belly is whitish. In the southern taxa (Angola, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa and Lesotho) the neck-line reaches the eye and the belly is buff. This has led some authorities to treat them as separate species: The Archer's or Acacia Francolin (S. gutturalis with subspecies lorti) in the north, and the Orange River Francolin (S. levaillantoides with subspecies jugularis) in the south.