Avian Feet

[Klipspringer]

[Klipspringer]

Semipalmate feet of a hamerkop!

[Richprins]

Slightly webbed...must be for mud?

[Klipspringer]

Feet for Fighting - Birds with Spurs

Most birds have four toes. The first points backwards in most species while the second, third and fourth digits point forwards. The fifth toe is lost completely except in some birds where it has become a spur. A number of birds have spurs on their feet or legs, usually formed from the lower portion of the tarsometatarsus bone. Best known are the spurs on chicken, though most galliform birds bear spurs. The spurs are mostly found in males, and used in mating competition or territory defence. (Some birds have spurs on the wings rather than the legs. These are mostly found in both sexes and probably serve other functions, possibly defense.)

So let's look at the Galliformes such as francolins and spurfowls.

The avian family Phasianidae (within the order Galliformes) contains some species with several spurs on the tarsi, though these are absent in many species. In some cases, spurs are found in both sexes, while in others they are restricted to males or males have more spurs than females (e.g., females typically have one, while males may have up to three).

[Lisbeth]

Natal Francolin

IMG_5198.JPG (134.47 KiB) Viewed 1067 times

[Klipspringer]

Natal Spurfowl: Females have much-reduced spurs, males usually have one. The spur above the back toe does not come into contact with the ground.

[Lisbeth]

Swainson's spurfowl

[Klipspringer]

Swainson’s Spurfowl has black tarsi, normally with a single spur in the male.
You can tell the age of a male by the condition and degree to which his spurs have been worn down through fighting over territory. So sexing is not very easy, if there is only a mall spur, it might be a male with spurs worn down suggesting he is an older, battle worn male.

Francolins and Spurfowls were traditionally placed in one of the largest genera of birds. Research conducted and published by the Percy FitzPatrick Institute has confirmed that based on their anatomy, behaviour and molecular biology that Francolins and Spurfowl form at least two evolutionarily distinct groups, the ‘true’ Francolins (Francolinus sensu stricto, Dendroperdix, Peliperdix and Scleroptila spp.) and Spurfowls (Pternistis spp.). Molecular research has shown distinct differences between Francolins and Spurfowls in the calls and anatomy of their syrinxes (avian voice-boxes). Recent ecological and behavioural studies show that Francolins are relatively small, ground-roosting birds, and Spurfowls (Pternistis spp.) are larger birds which roost in trees. Francolins do not (and can not) pearch. Why The hind toe in spurfowls is reduced (short) and raised but the foot structure still allows perching and they tend to roost in trees. Is that different in francolins?

[Richprins]

New classifications every week...

[Lisbeth]

So that's why Swainson's and red-necked spurfowls have Francolin in brackets in SASOL In the book they are all "francolins" apart from those two