Botswana (Okavango) - Puzzling Francolin (?) (1 Viewer)

Hi

May 1st 2015, at Sandibe in the Okavango.

I've just got round to keywording the pics from this trip, and this one doesn't seem to match the things that I listed at the time. I had listed Crested, but it doesn't look right - particularly leg colour. Legs and face/neck seem to match Orange River (pale morph), but the rest of the colouration doesn't quite match the views in either of my guide books.

Any thoughts welcome.

Richard

My immediate impression is of a Sandgrouse. Maybe Burchell's but possibly a juvenile.

Andrew

I see where you are coming from - we were definitely seeing Burchell's Sandgrouse in that area on another day. I guess that I was misled by the posture - I normally associate a less upright stance with Sandgrouse (a la the male in my first extra picture) - and the other pics I have of female Burchells ( like the second extra attached) seem to have plainer faces.

It certainly seems to be a better fit than either of the Francolins.

Thanks

Richard

I agree with Andrew on young Burchell's - if you zoom in on the second picture you can see the feathering of the front of the tarsus which is indicative of Sandgrouse.