Occurs in three discrete areas in western Africa: western Senegal, Gambia, Guinea Bissau and northern Guinea; southern Guinea, Sierra Leone and western Liberia; and north-eastern Ivory Coast east to south-western Nigeria.
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Ahanta Spurfowl (Pternistis ahantensis) [XC402495]
by \u00c9tienne Leroy from Bouna, Savanes, Ivory Coast (call, song)
Ahanta Spurfowl (Pternistis ahantensis) [XC842998]
by id from Atewa Range Forest Reserve, Eastern Region, Ghana (call)
Subspecies
Forms superspecies with Scaly Francolin (Pternistis squamatus) and Grey-striped Francolin (Pternistis griseostriatus) and all three have been separated in genus Squamatocolinus. Recently proposed reorganization of Francolinus places present species in genus Pternistis with 23 other species. Western populations have been awarded separate subspecies, hopkinsoni, but variation is clinal and subspecific status not warranted.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
hopkinsoni (Bannerman, 1934) - Western Senegal, Gambia and Guinea-Bissau.
ahantensis (Temminck, 1854) - Discontinuous in lowlands of Senegambia to south-western Nigeria.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet