Painted Spurfowl
Galloperdix lunulata
The Painted Spurfowl (Galloperdix lunulata) is a rare partridges, pheasants, grouse, and alli found only in India, weighing about 254 g. The painted spurfowl is a bird of the pheasant family found in rocky hill and scrub forests mainly in peninsular India.
About the Painted Spurfowl
The painted spurfowl is a bird of the pheasant family found in rocky hill and scrub forests mainly in peninsular India. Males are more brightly coloured and spotted boldly in white. Males have two to four spurs while females can have one or two of the spurs on their tarsus. The species is found mainly in rocky and scrub forest habitats unlike the red spurfowl. It is found in the undergrowth in pairs or small groups, escaping by running and rarely taking to the wing when flushed.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
This spurfowl is distinctive in having no bare facial skin as in the red spurfowl. The male has a black tail and ochre underparts that contrast with the darker upperparts. The plumage of the upper parts and the feathers have white spots edged with black. The head and neck of the male are black with a green sheen and finely spotted in white while the mantle, rump and wing coverts are chestnut. The female is much duller with a rufous brow and ear coverts. The throat is pale and spotted as in the male but the female lacks white spotting on the body.
What the Painted Spurfowl sounds like
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, April, May, June, August, October, November, December, with peak activity in February. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Painted Spurfowl?
- This spurfowl is distinctive in having no bare facial skin as in the red spurfowl. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Painted Spurfowl?
- The Painted Spurfowl is a medium sized bird weighing about 254 g.
- Where can you see a Painted Spurfowl?
- The Painted Spurfowl is endemic to India, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What does a Painted Spurfowl sound like?
- You can listen to a field recording of the Painted Spurfowl on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Painted Spurfowl?
- The Painted Spurfowl is most easily confused with the Sri Lanka Spurfowl and the Red Spurfowl.
- Is the Painted Spurfowl endangered?
- The Painted Spurfowl is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Painted Spurfowl for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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