Black Francolin
Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus
Etymology :
- Francolinus : Italian name Franci –Free Fowl, because the common people were forbidden to take them as the royalty had granted them freedom of living
- Francolinus : Italian name Franci –Free Fowl, because the common people were forbidden to take them as the royalty had granted them freedom of living
Vernacular names : Baluchistan: (M) Siyahgwar, (F) Shanz, Pushtu: Taru, Sind: Karo titar, Hindi: Kala teetar, Pun: Kala tittar, U.P.: Tetra, Kalo tetra, Ass: Tetri sorai, Mechentri, Cachar: Dao chirree, Kacha, Mikir: Voh chirree, Mani: Urenbi, Naga: Inrui jirip, Nepal: Kais teetar, Guj: Kalo thethar
Distribution in India: Widespread resident in North of India.
Description: Size of 32-34 cm. Its head is curved with brown iris eyes colour and unique pattern of brown colour crown and the throat colour is black. The primary colour is black with black breast rufous belly, white spots on flanks and golden brown spots at the back of body. The male is black with white patch on the cheek, a chestnut collar and white spots on the flanks. The back and wings are scalloped with shades of golden brown with sub-terminal tawny-buff bands and pale edges. Tail is black with narrow white or greyish bars. Legs are reddish-brown to red. The female is mainly brown, but has a chestnut hind neck. The extent of the white spotting on the flanks varies substantially across the species’ range and the depth of colour of the females similarly varies. The female has the upper plumage, wings and tail as in the male but the black is replaced by mottled brown and the brown bars on the lower back and tail are wider. Female is similar but dull with no cheek patch, and collar is replaced with a nuchal patch. Head and under parts are buff where the male shows black. Rump and upper tail coverts light brown.
Habitat: It is found in well-watered habitats, from alluvial riverbanks and tall grass female walking to jungle/cultivation mosaics along canals and other watercourses, and irrigated forest plantations; found up to 2500 m.
Food Habits: It eats seeds of grasses, weeds and cereal crops, shoots, leaves, tubers, berries and figs; also a range of insects and their larvae, especially termites, Coleoptera and Orthoptera. It forages on the ground and is very shy. It is usually in pair or single male with multiple females.
Breeding Habits: They breed in Dec-Aug in India. They are monogamous. The nest is an unlined shallow hollow or depression, sometimes with a few scraps of plant debris, made by female, concealed amongst vegetation, even in cultivation. They lay a clutch of 7–12 eggs, laid at one-day intervals. The incubation period is 18–21 days, by female alone, the male remains close by and helps tend young. The chicks are fully grown in 35 days but are capable of short flights at 9–22 days.