Clapperton's spurfowl facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clapperton's spurfowl
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Genus:	Pternistis
Species:	clappertoni
geographic distribution
Synonyms
Francolinus clappertoni

The Clapperton's spurfowl (Pternistis clappertoni) is a type of bird. It belongs to the Phasianidae family, which includes birds like pheasants and partridges.

You can find this bird in many countries across Africa. These include Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, and Uganda.

About the Clapperton's Spurfowl Name

The Clapperton's spurfowl was first described in 1826. Two scientists, John George Children and Nicholas Aylward Vigors, gave it its scientific name. They named it after an explorer named Hugh Clapperton. He was part of a journey through northern and central Africa.

The original scientific name they chose was Francolinus clappertoni. Later, scientists decided to place this bird in a different genus called Pternistis. This genus was created by a German naturalist named Johann Georg Wagler in 1832.

Different Types of Clapperton's Spurfowl

Scientists recognize two main types, or subspecies, of the Clapperton's spurfowl:

• P. c. clappertoni (Children & Vigors, 1826) — This type is found from Mali all the way to southern Sudan, eastern South Sudan, northeastern Uganda, and western Ethiopia.
• P. c. sharpii (Ogilvie-Grant, 1892) — This type lives in northern and central Ethiopia, and Eritrea.