A small gamebird of Central African savanna woodland. Males show a rusty orange head and dark facial markings; the species eats leaves, seeds, grain, and caterpillars.
It is 21–25 cm long. Males have a rusty orange to rufous-yellow head with a dark brown crown and eyestripe. Females are browner above, with black blotches and narrow pale streaks.
Schlegel’s Francolin lives in grassy woodland in Central Africa. Its black bill has yellow at the base and its legs are yellow. Males bear a short pointed spur, adding to the distinguishing features of the plumage, face and throat.
A 2019 study compared recorded call characteristics with plumage and genetic information. The Schlegel’s Francolin call described in the analysis lasted about 1.89 seconds and contained seven elements, with a pause after the introductory element.
Two close relatives had calls containing six and eight elements, lasting about one second and 1.95 seconds respectively. Despite their similar sounds, the calls differed in element number and arrangement. Researchers also compared pitch changes and trilling components when examining relationships among the birds.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
The Search for Lost Birds partnership identifies renewed surveys across Schlegel’s Francolin’s range as a priority. Its account lists a juvenile recorded in the Central African Republic in 2012 as the last documented record. Proposed surveys would establish the bird’s whereabouts, habitat condition and population situation.