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I struggle to differentiate between the Common Quail and Crested Francolin ...

Can the experts please advise me which one this is and how do you differentiate between the two?

Thanks

The quail is about half the size of the francolin. Don't have my guide with you but I'll say the one you have there is the francolin. The quail's markings if I remember is slighty different. Not on the back as with the francolin.

I'll leave the rest for francoisd.

Only got to this now.
Bird is definitely a Crested Francolin. The Francolin has a dark cap where the Common quail has a light brown cap. The Francolin also has a dark-striped chest as the bird in the photo. The Francolin has reddish legs while those of the quail are more yellow.

The bird in your photo looks to be a female Crested Francolin.

And the tail of the crested francolin stands up when it runs, like a bantam chicken, whereas the quail's tail stays down.
If you hear them call, the francolin sounds like 'beer and cognac, beer and cognac'

Crested Francolin (Francolinus sephaena)




Old scientific name(s):
Peliperdix sephaena, Dendroperdix sephaena

Other names:
Afrikaans: Bospatrys
French: Francolin huppé, Francolin casqué
German: Schopffrankolin
Dutch: Kuiffrankolijn

Identification:
Medium in Size, black bill, reddish legs, finely barred belly, heavily streaked chest, dark and light striped head diagnostic

Distribution:
Found in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, northern Namibia, Botswana and northern South Africa

Status:
Very common resident

Habitat:
Bushveld, riverine forest and dense woodland especially around rocky outcrop

Habits:
Usually in pairs or family groups
Very noisy at dusk and dawn

Food:
Bulbs, seeds, berries, insects and molluscs

Breeding:
October to May
Nest : Sparsely lined scrape on the ground, in rank grass or under any thorny shrub
Clutch : 4-9 Eggs
Incubation : 21 Days

Seen a pair on the riverloops near Letaba Juni 2005

Two male Crested Francolins are in a fight for their territory, the BIG BIRD BATTLE.

See Video:

This is one of my favourites taken up on the rabelais loop,


I couldn't have had a better pose.

Only 78 days until were back in Kruger.

Kirk's Francolin (from central Mozambique) is another race of Crested Francolin. They can be told apart by Kirk's having brown streaks on the belly and flanks and no barring. The call is also different.

Kirk's

Crested

Seen at Afsaal

Thanks for sharing Lizet.....

Crested francolin by dinkybird, on Flickr