“Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.” (Psalms 84:3 KJV)
Barn Swallow by Dan Taken in a cabin in Smokies
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“Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.” (Proverbs 3:27 KJV)
Chickadee Eating From Hand ©Flickr Ted Sakshaug
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“For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.” (Psalms 71:5 KJV)
Painted Spurfowl (Galloperdix lunulata) by Nikhil Devasar
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“If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;” (Job 31:7 KJV)
Heuglin’s Francolin (Pternistis icterorhynchus) ©WikiC
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“And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.” (Revelation 6:11)
Name and Credit for Bird Photo ©AllAboutBirds – DR Franz
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Erckel’s Francolin (Pternistis erckelii) ©WikiC
“Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.” (Genesis 7:3 KJV)
This Sunday’s section of the Pheasants and allies – Phasianidae Family has 32 Francolins and 8 Spurfowl contained in 5 genera.
“Francolins are birds that traditionally have been placed in the genus Francolinus, but now commonly are divided into multiple genera (see Taxonomy), although some of the major taxonomic listing sources have yet to divide them. The francolins’ closest relatives are the junglefowl, long-billed partridge, Alectoris and Coturnix. Together this monophyletic clade may warrant family status as the Gallusinidae.
When all are maintained in a single genus, it is the most diverse of the Galliformes, having by far the most members. Francolins are terrestrial (though not flightless) birds that feed on insects, vegetable matter and seeds. Most of the members have a hooked upper beak, well-suited for digging at the bases of grass tussocks and rootballs. They have wide tails with fourteen retrice feathers. Most species exhibit spurs on the tarsi.”
Grey Francolin (Francolinus pondicerianus) ©WikiC Spurs of the male
“Of the approximately 40 living species, the natural range of five (comprising the genus Francolinus) are restricted to Asia, while the remaining genera are restricted to Africa. Several species have been introduced to other parts of the world, notably Hawaii.” (Wikipedia, with editing)
The Francolinus genre is: Black Francolin (Francolinus francolinus), Painted Francolin (Francolinus pictus), Chinese Francolin (Francolinus pintadeanus), Grey Francolin (Francolinus pondicerianus), and the Swamp Francolin (Francolinus gularis).
Black Francolin (Francolinus francolinus) by Nikhil Devasar
The four Peliperdix species are the Latham’s Francolin (Peliperdix lathami), Coqui Francolin (Peliperdix coqui), White-throated Francolin (Peliperdix albogularis), and the Schlegel’s Francolin (Peliperdix schlegelii)
Coqui Francolin (Peliperdix coqui) by Dave’s BirdingPix
The next seven belong in the Scleroptila genre. The Ring-necked Francolin (Scleroptila streptophora), Grey-winged Francolin (Scleroptila afra), Red-winged Francolin (Scleroptila levaillantii),
Finsch’s Francolin (Scleroptila finschi), Shelley’s Francolin (Scleroptila shelleyi), Moorland Francolin (Scleroptila psilolaema), and the Orange River Francolin (Scleroptila gutturalis).
Shelley’s Francolin (Scleroptila shelleyi) ©WikiC
The lone Crested Francolin (Dendroperdix sephaena) is the one in its genre.
Crested Francolin (Dendroperdix sephaena) ©WikiC
The Pternistis has two names of birds in its genera. The Francolins and the Spurfowls. ” Its 23 species range through Sub-Saharan Africa. They are commonly known as francolins or spurfowl but are closely related to jungle bush quail, Alectoris rock partridges and Coturnix quail. The species are strictly monogamous, remaining mated indefinitely. They procure most of their food by digging. Partridge-francolins subsist almost entirely on roots, beans of leguminous shrubs and trees, tubers, seed, feasting opportunistically on termites, ants, locusts, flowers and fruit.
Yellow-necked Spurfowl (Pternistis leucoscepus) ©USFWS
Scaly Francolin (Pternistis squamatus), Ahanta Francolin (Pternistis ahantensis), Grey-striped Francolin (Pternistis griseostriatus), Hildebrandt’s Francolin (Pternistis hildebrandti), Double-spurred Francolin (Pternistis bicalcaratus), Heuglin’s Francolin (Pternistis icterorhynchus), Clapperton’s Francolin (Pternistis clappertoni), Harwood’s Francolin (Pternistis harwoodi), Swierstra’s Francolin (Pternistis swierstrai), Mount Cameroon Francolin (Pternistis camerunensis), Handsome Francolin (Pternistis nobilis), Jackson’s Francolin (Pternistis jacksoni), Chestnut-naped Francolin (Pternistis castaneicollis), Djibouti Francolin (Pternistis ochropectus), Erckel’s Francolin (Pternistis erckelii), Hartlaub’s Spurfowl (Pternistis hartlaubi), Red-billed Spurfowl (Pternistis adspersus), Cape Spurfowl (Pternistis capensis), Natal Spurfowl (Pternistis natalensis), Yellow-necked Spurfowl (Pternistis leucoscepus), Grey-breasted Spurfowl (Pternistis rufopictus), Red-necked Spurfowl (Pternistis afer), and Swainson’s Spurfowl (Pternistis swainsonii).
“I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.” (Psalms 50:11 KJV)
“Hiding in the Shadow of the Rock” ~ Dr. Richard Gregory
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Sunday Inspiration – Pheasants and Allies I
Sunday Inspiration – Pheasants and Allies II
Pheasants and allies – Phasianidae
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“And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep; and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.” (Acts 20:9)
Napping Pallid Scops Owl by Yogesh Bhandarkar From Pinterest
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“A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends. (Proverbs 16:28)
Peach-faced Lovebird, shot in Shanghai Zoo (Whispering Lovebirds) ©Feng Wei
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“There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. (Daniel 3:12)
Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) displaying ©Birdsasart
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“This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.” JOHN 12:6
Frigatebird©Sciencealert
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“And he [i.e., Ehud] brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was a very fat man. (JUDGES 3:17)
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus) by Kent Nickell
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“I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. (Revelation 1:18)
http://i.imgur.com/YGrE8AP.jpg
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Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus 