Photo: Hans Hillewaert / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-billed Spurfowl
Pternistis adspersus
Red-billed Spurfowl (Pternistis adspersus) — Gamebirds of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-billed Spurfowl (Pternistis adspersus) is a member of the Phasianidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 428 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Galliformes
- Family Phasianidae Pheasants & Allies
- Genus Pternistis
- Species adspersus
Where it lives
Southwestern Angola, northern Namibia and Botswana to southwestern Zambia, northwestern Zimbabwe and north-central South Africa
Quick facts
- Weight
- 428 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Phasianidae
- Order
- Galliformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-billed Spurfowl is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Red-billed Spurfowl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-billed Spurfowl (Pternistis adspersus) is a species of bird in the Phasianidae family, part of the order Galliformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF sw Angola, n Namibia and Botswana to sw Zambia, nw Zimbabwe and nc South Africa.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 428 g, with a wing length of about 16.9 cm and a tail of around 8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-billed Spurfowl?
The Red-billed Spurfowl is a large bird that weighs around 428 g.
Where does the Red-billed Spurfowl live?
The Red-billed Spurfowl is found across Africa with a range covering AF sw Angola, n Namibia and Botswana to sw Zambia, nw Zimbabwe and nc South Africa, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Red-billed Spurfowl belong to?
The Red-billed Spurfowl (Pternistis adspersus) belongs to the Phasianidae family, in the order Galliformes.
What does the Red-billed Spurfowl eat?
The Red-billed Spurfowl is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Red-billed Spurfowl migrate?
The Red-billed Spurfowl is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-billed Spurfowl endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Red-billed Spurfowl make?
1 real field recording of the Red-billed Spurfowl can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Red-billed Spurfowl's range?
The Red-billed Spurfowl has a mapped global range of about 1.2 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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