Grey Francolin

Overview

Grey Francolin (Ortygornis pondicerianus) is a species of Pheasants & Allies (Phasianidae) in the order Gamebirds (Chickens, Pheasants and Grouse). A small gray-brown partridge with fine barring, common in dry farmland and scrub of South Asia; runs fast and calls loudly in duet; nests on the ground.

Scientific Classification

Genus: Ortygornis; binomial: Ortygornis pondicerianus; authority: (Gmelin, JF, 1789). Typical size: 30-34cm. Average lifespan: 5-8 years.

Distribution

Breeding range: the Palearctic and the Oriental Region.

Conservation Status

This taxon is listed as Extant (living) in the IOC World Bird List.

Remarks

Move Grey Francolin from Francolinus to the resurrected genus Ortygornis (Mandiwana-Neudani et al. 2019b; Kimball et al. 2021).