Chinese Francolin (Francolinus pintadeanus)
Order: GALLIFORMES
Family: PHASIANIDAE Pheasants
Scientific name: Francolinus pintadeanus
English name: Chinese Francolin
Characteristic: Size 33 cm. about a domestic fowl. A male bird has light brown crown; white patches present at cheeks and under throat; both the upperpart and underpart dark with numerous round white spots scattering all over; shoulder patches distinctively reddish brown; toes strong for scratching the ground for food. A female has subdued body colouration.
Distribution: India, China, Hainan, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Habitat: Scrub forest, grass field, dry dipterocarp forest. In Sakaerat forest, they inhabit the dense undergrowth of bamboo grasses and open grass fields in dry dipterocarp forest.
Habit: Mostly found as a single bird rummanging for food on the ground. Its diet consists of worms, insects, earthworms and other small animals, including plant seeds, grass seeds and bamboo grain. The whole daylight hours are spent for food foraging, whereas during the night it roosts high on the tree. A male will advertise his occupied territory and try to attract a female' s attention by his loud characteristic call in early morning. In nesting season, he will keep on calling almost throughout the day, which occurring between March and July. A female is the sole nest builder that will be built well-concealed among grass tussocks or under the bush. A normal clutch contains 3-7 eggs, which will be incubated for 20-22 days. In one breeding season, a male may pair to many females.
Status: A common resident in Sakaerat area. It is already protected legally.
