The Black Francolin is a plump gamebird characterized by its black body and tan to golden brown head. Possessing a brown scalloped back, this bird has white bars on its feathers, making it a colorful game bird. The Black Francolin is native to a region from the eastern Mediterranean through Burma and from Russia to the Caspian Sea. Like the other Francolins residing in North America, this bird was imported in the late 1950s for the purposes of hunting. However, the Black Francolin was only comfortable on the Hawaiian islands and can only be found in the US in this area.

These birds are monogamous, resulting in both the male and female settling the nest and tending to their young. Nest are made from simple ground scrapings and vegetation. The Black Francolin prefers water and areas of thick vegetation. However, the effects of ground cover destruction and agricultural pesticides in recent years have been problematic for the Black Francolin. Despite these factors, this bird can be found around 4,000 feet in elevation amongst the grasslands of the Gray Francolin.

Photo Courtesy of USDA NRCS.