EPOW - Ecology Picture of the Week

Why Are They Called "Spurfowl?"

Yellow-necked Spurfowl (Pternistis leucoscepus), Family Phasianidae
Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

Explanation:  Not much of a mystery here.  Spurfowl belong to the avian family of pheasants, turkeys, quail, chickens, peafowl, and others ... in other works, fowl.

The spur part of their name refers to sharp protrusions from the birds' legs, usually from the lower part of the tarsometatarsus bone.  A number of bird species sport spurs, not just spurfowl, and not just members of the pheasant family.  

Interestingly, the length of spurs is greater in tropical birds (Davison 1985).  

Spurs are typically used in territorial disputes among rival males ... which brings us to another factoid that, at least in the Yellow-necked Spurfowl, only the male sports these weapons:

Spurs on the legs of the male Yellow-necked Spurfowl.
  

Female Yellow-necked Spurfowl lack the spurs.

Female and chick Yellow-necked Spurfowl out foraging.
  

Information:
   Davison, GWH.  1985.  Avian spurs.  Journal of Zoology 206(3):353-366.