Field Note: Hartlaub's Spurfowl chicks sighting

In May 2026 Stratton Hatfield, a visitor to Ameib, photographed a pair of Hartlaub's Spurfowls with four young - one male and three females. We are not able to determine the exact age of the chicks, but found a sighting of young Hartlaub's Spurfowls at this time of the year very interesting.

The plumage differences between males and females become apparent after 100 days (Hockney et al., 2005). The chicks must therefore have been at least 100 days old.

©Stratton Hatfield

References

Hockey PAR, Dean WRT, Ryan PG (eds), 2005, Roberts - Birds of Southern Africa, sixth ed. The Trustees of the John Voelcker Bird Book Fund, Cape Town.

Bird list for Erongo Mountains

Field Note: Additional findings on Hartlaub's Spurfowl nesting habitat