A brave little hippo calf wandered away from its pod and found itself face-to-face with a giant elephant. For a moment, the youngster showed remarkable courage, standing its ground against the towering figure. But soon, mom arrived to escort her calf safely back to the pod - with the elephant giving them a trunk flick to move them along. 

Can You Spot the Difference Between Spurfowls & Francolins?

Natal Spurfowl (Pternistis natalensis)

• Grey-brown with fine vermiculated markings

• Red legs and face skin

• Pairs/small groups near thickets

• Distribution: North-eastern South Africa, Eswatini, southern Mozambique, southern Zimbabwe
  

Swainson’s Spurfowl (Pternistis swainsonii)

• Black bill, blackish legs, bare red face and throat

• Mostly brown, streaked body

• Prefers open grasslands

• Distribution: Central & southern Africa - Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, northern South Africa
  

Yellow-necked Spurfowl (Pternistis leucoscepus)

• Grey-brown body with black-and-white speckling

• Distinct yellow throat patch

• Raspy “kraa-kraa” call from trees/bushes

• Distribution: Eastern Africa - Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda, north-eastern Tanzania
  

Red-necked Spurfowl (Pternistis afer)

• Bright red bill, red legs, bare red face and throat

• Black-and-white streaked underparts

• Found in varied habitats - grasslands, thickets, riverine forests

• Distribution: Widespread in sub-Saharan Africa (Angola → Kenya → South Africa)
  

Crested Francolin (Ortygornis sephaena)

• Mottled brown, short crest, white eyebrow stripe

• Often calls in duets at dusk

• Distribution: Eastern & southern Africa - Tanzania south to South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe

So next time you spot one on Africam, tag it correctly on SafariSnaps - each right ID means more points on the leader board!