Hartlaub's Spurfowl

Pternistis hartlaubi (Barboza du Bocage, 1869)

Phasianidae — Pheasants & Allies

Hartlaub's Spurfowl, Pternistis hartlaubi, is a bird of southwest Africa, breeding in south-west Angola and central to northern Namibia. It belongs to the pheasant family and was first described in 1869. The species is tied to the escarpment zone and is found in medium-altitude dry and semi-dry country, usually on higher rocky ground of granite or sandstone. Dense grass and shrubs are always linked with these outcrops. It is the smallest African spurfowl, and the sexes differ markedly in plumage and size. The name honours Gustav Hartlaub, a German physician and ornithologist.

Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae — Pheasants & Allies
Breeding range: Africa: sw Angola and c, n Namibia