# Cape Spurfowl

*Pternistis capensis*

Despite being birds, they are highly terrestrial and will almost always choose to outrun a predator on foot rather than fly.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Galliformes › Phasianidae › Pternistis
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** grassland
- **Habitat:** Fynbos, coastal scrub, agricultural edges, and suburban gardens.
- **Diet:** Omnivorous, feeding on seeds, fallen fruit, bulbs, insects, and small snails.
- **Range:** South Africa (Western Cape), South Africa (Eastern Cape)
- **Size:** 40-43 cm in length, weighing 600-900 grams.
- **Lifespan:** 5-8 years
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Local habitat fragmentation due to urban development, domestic pet predation, and pesticide use in agricultural areas.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless and generally shy. Maintain a respectful distance of 5 to 10 meters. They prefer to run rather than fly when startled. If cornered, they may flap or scratch defensively with their leg spurs. In the unlikely event of a scratch, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water.

## About

The Cape spurfowl , or Cape francolin ( Pternistis capensis ) is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae. This francolin is endemic to the southwestern Cape of South Africa.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/c5a6ed86-f664-4621-9b27-c1d8824843fb
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/343746
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pternistis capensis
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/2018016/medium.jpg (Alan Manson, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.