Swainson's Francolin
Swainson's FrancolinSwainson's FrancolinSwainson's FrancolinSwainson's Francolin

Swainson's Francolin

Pternistis swainsonii

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
30–40% · Possible
overall probability at Lower Zambezi National Park
74 Verified records at Lower Zambezi National Park
January Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

Swainson's spurfowl or Swainson's francolin (Pternistis swainsonii) is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae which is native to southern Africa. In the Shona language in Zimbabwe, this bird is called the chikwari or horwe and is considered a delicacy by outdoor and hunting enthusiasts. Swainson's spurfowl was named after William Swainson, an English ornithologist. Wikipedia →

30–40% of wildlife watchers report a Swainson's Francolin sighting in Lower Zambezi National Park, based on 74 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Lower Zambezi National Park

Natal Francolin
LC

Natal Francolin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pternistis natalensis

30–40% · Possible
Red-necked Francolin
LC

Red-necked Francolin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pternistis afer

<5% · Rare
Crested Francolin
LC

Crested Francolin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ortygornis sephaena

10–20% · With luck
Harlequin Quail
LC

Harlequin Quail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Coturnix delegorguei

Insufficient data
Coqui Francolin
LC

Coqui Francolin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Campocolinus coqui

Insufficient data
Shelley's Francolin
LC

Shelley's Francolin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Scleroptila shelleyi

Insufficient data
Helmeted Guineafowl
LC

Helmeted Guineafowl

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Numida meleagris

60–70% · Likely
Crested Guineafowl
LC

Crested Guineafowl

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Guttera pucherani

30–40% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

40–50
Jan
30–40
Feb
20–30
Mar
20–30
Apr
30–40
May
40–50
Jun
40–50
Jul
20–30
Aug
30–40
Sep
30–40
Oct
20–30
Nov
30–40
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
50–60%
2 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
40–50%
3 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
40–50%
4 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
30–40%
5 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
30–40%
6 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
30–40%
7 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
30–40%
8 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
30–40%
9 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
20–30%
10 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
10–20%
11 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
<5%
12 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
<5%
13 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Swainson's Francolin in Lower Zambezi National Park?

About 33% of wildlife watchers report a Swainson's Francolin sighting in Lower Zambezi National Park, based on 74 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Swainson's Francolin in Lower Zambezi National Park?

January has the highest sighting rate for Swainson's Francolin in Lower Zambezi National Park in our monthly data.

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