Distribution
Of the approximately 40 extant species, 5 are restricted to Asia, while the remaining are restricted to Africa. Several species have been introduced to other parts of the world, notably Hawaii.
Twelve of the species which occur in Africa are found in the subcontinental region of southern Africa; of these, seven occur in varying proportions within the political boundaries of Namibia. Six southern African francolins are considered endemic to the subcontinent, of which three are found in Namibia (Hartlaub's, Red-billed Francolin F. adspersus and Orange River Francolin F. levaillantoides ). The Cape Francolin Francolinus capensis, endemic to the Cape Province of South Africa occurs marginally in southern Namibia. A fossil francolin, Francolinus capeki, has been described from Late Pliocene deposits of Hungary; the contemporary fossil galliforms "Francolinus" minor and "F." subfrancolinus are now placed in Palaeocryptonyx.
Read more about this topic: Francolin
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