Heuglin's francolin

Heuglin's spurfowl is a captivating bird belonging to the Phasianidae family, native to the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and Uganda. This species was first documented by the German explorer Theodor von Heuglin, who named it in 1863 after collecting specimens near the Pongo River in present-day South Sudan.

Initially, the bird was given the scientific name Francolinus icterorhynchus, derived from Ancient Greek words that mean "jaundice-yellow" and "bill." Today, it is classified under the genus Pternistis, a designation made by Johann Georg Wagler.

Fascinatingly, a 2019 molecular study revealed that Heuglin's spurfowl is closely related to the double-spurred spurfowl. The species is considered monotypic, indicating that there are no recognized subspecies.