The Cape Spurfowl Pternistis capensis, previously known as Cape Francolin, is a gamebird in the pheasant family (Phasianidae). It is endemic to southern Africa, and it occurs from the Western Cape in South Africa northwards to southern Namibia.
Catching Cape Spurfowl
Cape Spurfowl are large birds that are occasionally caught in mistnets, although they often manage to escape from nets. They could also be caught in baited drop traps. On a recent ringing course, we experimented with nooses. These were secured to heavy rocks or stakes and baited with chicken feed. We had the nooses in sight of our ringing table so that birds could be extracted as s0on as they were caught. We also had a hand net which we placed over the captured birds to keep them calm while extracting the noose from the bird. We caught 5 birds in the nooses and none in our nets on this course.
Ringing
Relatively few Cape Spurfowl have been ringed in southern Africa to date – 307 (on 20/05/2023).
Tarsus diameter varies, and ring size may be 10, 11 or 12.5 mm rings (stainless steel). Place the ring above the larger spur (if one is present).
Spurs of the spurfowl
Males have 1–2 tarsal spurs, one being large and the second smaller, either a knob or absent. Spur length was measured in 5 males at various sites as: 12.7, 16, 18, 19 and 21.3 mm long. Females and juveniles do not have spurs, or may have a small spur.
Biometrics and sexing
Females are smaller than males, but there is overlap in measurements
Females have the legs duller orange than the orange-red in males.
Females have a single, very short spur (or absent), while males have one long spur and a second shorter one may be present.
Table. Biometrics from Roberts 7.
| Males | Females | |
| Wing | (n=32) 203–234 (220.4) | (n=45) 185–220 (202.1) |
| Tail | (n=18) 94.5–128.0 (115.2) | (n=27) 97–125 (108.2) |
| Tarsus | (n=32) 61.5–72.0 (67.5) | (n=45) 55–76 (60.4) |
| Bill | (n-14) 30.4–34.9 (32.8) | (n=18) 28.8–32.0 (30.6) |
| Mass | (n=14) 873–1 018 (977) | (n=18) 636–900 (767) |
Ageing
Adult (centre) with 4 young birds
Immatures: like adults, but are paler brown and have a broad cream eye-brow (see photo above). Also the bill of young birds is grey with no red or yellow.
Very young spurfowl – flew into my net but too small to be ringed – note the white eyebrow and dark bill
