Pheasants and Partridges (Phasianidae)

Black Francolin (Francolinus francolinus) - HBW 2, p. 489

French: Francolin noir German: Halsbandfrankolin Spanish: Francolín Ventrinegro
Other common names: Black Partridge

Taxonomy: Tetrao Francolinus Linnaeus, 1766, Cyprus.
Present species, F. pictus and F. pintadeanus form a closely related species group; hybridization with F. pictus occurs in areas of contact. Recently proposed reorganization of Francolinus retains only present species, F. pondicerianus, F. gularis, F. pictus and F. pintadeanus in Francolinus. Restricted population of Amik Gölü, S Turkey, has been awarded separate race, billypayni, though usually included in nominate. Six subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

francolinus (Linnaeus, 1766) - Cyprus and Asia Minor to E Transcaucasia and Iran, and S through Syria to Israel.
arabistanicus Zarudny & Härms, 1913 - S Iraq and W Iran.
bogdanovi Zarudny, 1906 - S Iran E to S Pakistan.

See all 6 subspecies

francolinus (Linnaeus, 1766) - Cyprus and Asia Minor to E Transcaucasia and Iran, and S through Syria to Israel.
arabistanicus Zarudny & Härms, 1913 - S Iraq and W Iran.
bogdanovi Zarudny, 1906 - S Iran E to S Pakistan.
henrici Bonaparte, 1856 - S Pakistan and Kutch (Gujarat, W India).
asiae Bonaparte, 1856 - N India (except Kutch) E to W Bihar and Orissa.
melanonotus Hume, 1888 - E India, from Assam and Sikkim to Manipur, and Bangladesh.