Shelley's Francolin

Francolinus hildebrandti

Other Names

    Francolin de Hildebrandt   Hildebrandtfrankolin   Francolín de Hildebrandt     Hildebrandtfrankolijn   Francolino di Hildebrandt

World: Africa - found to the east of the continent from SW Kenya, S Uganda, Tanzania and thence south to Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zaire, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Swaziland.

Kenya: Southern and Central Kenya between 700-3000m mostly to the E of the Rift Valley.

This is a shy and somewhat secretive bird of grassland areas with scattered acacia. It generally uses the technique of crouching and freezing in the long grass when it senses danger, preferring this to flight (although it will also run away into the long grass). It will only fly when pressed hard and even then it flies short distances. Its diet is varied consisting of insects, small molluscs, seeds, bulbs and roots.