The gamefowl (family Phasianidae) is a large family of birds belonging to the order Galliformes, often known as gamebirds. This family includes a variety of ground birds native to different habitats of the Old World and North America, generally elusive and hiding in vegetation when alert. Large birds of the tropics with marked sexual dimorphism include peafowl, junglefowl turkeys and pheasants, several of which are heavily threatened. Medium sized birds with cryptic plumages found in boreal forests, mountains and grasslands include grouse and capercaillies. Widespread, smaller birds living in a range of wooded habitats include Old World quails, partridges, spurfowl and francolins. Several of these birds groups are polyphyletic.
The family comprises 184 species in 54 genera, including Xenoperdix (1 species), Caloperdix (1 species), Rollulus (1 species), Melanoperdix (1 species), Arborophila (18 species), Lerwa (1 species), Ithaginis (1 species), Tragopan (5 species), Tetraophasis (2 species), Lophophorus (3 species), Rhizothera (2 species), Pucrasia (1 species), Meleagris, Bonasa (1 species), Tetrastes (2 species), Centrocercus (2 species), Dendragapus (2 species), Tympanuchus (3 species), Lagopus (4 species), Falcipennis (1 species), Canachites (1 species), Tetrao (2 species), Lyrurus (2 species), Perdix (3 species), Syrmaticus (5 species), Chrysolophus (2 species), Phasianus (2 species), Catreus (1 species), Crossoptilon (4 species), Lophura (11 species of which 1 possibly extinct in the wild), Argusianus (1 species), Rheinardia (2 species), Pavo (2 species), Afropavo (1 species), Tropicoperdix (3 species), Haematortyx (1 species), Galloperdix (3 species), Polyplectron (8 species), Bambusicola (3 species), Gallus (4 species), Peliperdix (1 species), Campocolinus (3 species), Scleroptila (9 species), Ortygornis (3 species), Francolinus (3 species), Tetraogallus (5 species), Ammoperdix (2 species), Synoicus (4 species), Margaroperdix (1 species), Coturnix (6 species of which 1 extinct), Rollulus (1 species), Alectoris (7 species), Ophrysia (1 possibly extinct species), Perdicula (4 species of which 1 possibly extinct) and Pternistis (23 species).
Reichenow’s reichenowi form in Mara North, Kenya, 5 Feb 2024
Hazel grouse
Tetrastes bonasia
Resident in open woodlands across Subsaharan Africa. This species has been domesticated for centuries, likely since Ancient Egypt times. Populations of feral individuals have established elsewhere, as some individuals I have observed in Madagascar. Within the native range, I have seen this species in moist savanna in Kenya.
Urho Kekkonen National Park, Lapland, Finland, 2 Jun 2023
Rock ptarmigan
Lagopus muta
Endemic to dry savanna and thornscrub of East Africa. Particularly social, often traveling in large flocks that have served as a study model for research on bird behavior and social relationships in Laikipia County, Kenya, where I have observed this species.
Kongsfjordfjellet, Varanger Peninsula, Norway, 15 May 2024
Willow ptarmigan
Lagopus lagopus
Endemic to dry savanna and thornscrub of East Africa. Particularly social, often traveling in large flocks that have served as a study model for research on bird behavior and social relationships in Laikipia County, Kenya, where I have observed this species.
Nuuksio National Park near Helsinki, Finland, 12 May 2023
Western capercaillie
Tetrao urogallus
Endemic to dry savanna and thornscrub of East Africa. Particularly social, often traveling in large flocks that have served as a study model for research on bird behavior and social relationships in Laikipia County, Kenya, where I have observed this species.
Near Helsinki, Finland, 22 Sep 2023
Black grouse
Lyrurus tetrix
Endemic to dry savanna and thornscrub of East Africa. Particularly social, often traveling in large flocks that have served as a study model for research on bird behavior and social relationships in Laikipia County, Kenya, where I have observed this species.
Mpala Research Center, Laikipia, Kenya, 27 Jan 2024
Common pheasant
Phasianus colchicus
Endemic to dry savanna and thornscrub of East Africa. Particularly social, often traveling in large flocks that have served as a study model for research on bird behavior and social relationships in Laikipia County, Kenya, where I have observed this species.
Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam, 11 Aug 2024
Siamese fireback
Lophura diardi
Endemic to dry savanna and thornscrub of East Africa. Particularly social, often traveling in large flocks that have served as a study model for research on bird behavior and social relationships in Laikipia County, Kenya, where I have observed this species.
Nagarahole National Park, Karnatka, India, 2 Jan 2025
Indian peafowl
Pavo cristatus
Endemic to dry savanna and thornscrub of East Africa. Particularly social, often traveling in large flocks that have served as a study model for research on bird behavior and social relationships in Laikipia County, Kenya, where I have observed this species.
Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam, 10 Aug 2024
Green peafowl
Pavo muticus
Endemic to dry savanna and thornscrub of East Africa. Particularly social, often traveling in large flocks that have served as a study model for research on bird behavior and social relationships in Laikipia County, Kenya, where I have observed this species.
Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam, 11 Aug 2024
Green-legged partridge
Tropicoperdix chloropus
Endemic to dry savanna and thornscrub of East Africa. Particularly social, often traveling in large flocks that have served as a study model for research on bird behavior and social relationships in Laikipia County, Kenya, where I have observed this species.
Rainforest Discovery Center near Sepilok, Sabah, Malaysia, 14 Jul 2024
Sabah partridge
Tropicoperdix graydoni
Endemic to dry savanna and thornscrub of East Africa. Particularly social, often traveling in large flocks that have served as a study model for research on bird behavior and social relationships in Laikipia County, Kenya, where I have observed this species.
Cat Tien National Park, Vietnam, 11 Aug 2024
Germain’s peacock-pheasant
Polyplectron germaini
Endemic to dry savanna and thornscrub of East Africa. Particularly social, often traveling in large flocks that have served as a study model for research on bird behavior and social relationships in Laikipia County, Kenya, where I have observed this species.
Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore, 7 Jul 2024
Red junglefowl
Gallus gallus
Endemic to dry savanna and thornscrub of East Africa. Particularly social, often traveling in large flocks that have served as a study model for research on bird behavior and social relationships in Laikipia County, Kenya, where I have observed this species.
Periyar Tiger Reserve, Kerala, India, 8 Jan 2025
Gray junglefowl
Gallus sonneratii
Endemic to dry savanna and thornscrub of East Africa. Particularly social, often traveling in large flocks that have served as a study model for research on bird behavior and social relationships in Laikipia County, Kenya, where I have observed this species.
Arroyo de Calamocarro, Ceuta, Spain, 20 Apr 2025
Barbary partridge
Alectoris barbara
Endemic to dry savanna and thornscrub of East Africa. Particularly social, often traveling in large flocks that have served as a study model for research on bird behavior and social relationships in Laikipia County, Kenya, where I have observed this species.
Villena, Alicante, Spain, 24 Apr 2025
Red-legged partridge
Alectoris rufa
Endemic to dry savanna and thornscrub of East Africa. Particularly social, often traveling in large flocks that have served as a study model for research on bird behavior and social relationships in Laikipia County, Kenya, where I have observed this species.
Mpala Research Center, Laikipia, Kenya, 30 Jan 2024
Yellow-necked spurfowl
Pternistis leucoscepus
Endemic to dry savanna and thornscrub of East Africa. Particularly social, often traveling in large flocks that have served as a study model for research on bird behavior and social relationships in Laikipia County, Kenya, where I have observed this species.
