This francolin walks through shrubland and semi-open areas in southern Africa, searching for seeds and insects. It may raise its tail when excited.
Its brown plumage blends with dry branches and grass and has fine lines, spots, and bars. A pale eyebrow contrasts with a darker cap.
Crested Francolins use dense scrub and tangled vegetation. In Limpopo, South Africa, they also inhabit cover on a farm shared by cattle and wildlife. Their bodies can host immature ticks, including larvae and nymphs.
Researchers examined 23 wild birds collected between June 1996 and June 1997, together with ticks sampled from surrounding vegetation. Thirteen tick taxa were found on the birds. Four were considered normal parasites; the remainder were interpreted as accidental infestations.
Attachment sites varied among common tick species: larvae of some occurred mainly on the head, while another was frequent on the body and wings. The relative abundance of tick species also differed between birds and vegetation.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
The 1997 southern African atlas highlights local impacts where scrub is cleared and notes the need for monitoring. Because these francolins use dense bush even where grass cover is poor, woodland and scrub patches within farming landscapes are relevant conservation habitat.