Has at times been placed in genus Chaetopus or in Notocolinus; latter name may alternatively represent a valid subgenus for this species, P. adspersus, P. capensis and P. natalensis#R. Hybridizes occasionally with P. natalensis. Geographical variation mainly clinal, and not well marked (most distinctive in females), but differences between various forms poorly understood#R; race altumi was named and described solely on the basis of two male birds#R; review required. Here, the species is divided into three races, treating helleri (N Kenya) and fischeri (Wembere Steppe, in NC Tanzania) as synonyms of nominate, and lindi and grotei (respectively from Lindi and Mikandani, both in SE Tanzania) as synonyms of johnstoni. Three subspecies recognized.
P. h. altumi (G. A. Fischer & Reichenow, 1884) – W Kenya.
P. h. hildebrandti (Cabanis, 1878) – C & SE Kenya and N & W Tanzania S to SE DRCongo and NE Zambia.
P. h. johnstoni (Shelley, 1894) – SE Tanzania, extreme N Mozambique and Malawi (S to Mt Mulanje).
Introduced on Bwejuu I, near Mafia, Tanzania.
Bulbs, tubers and seeds; also insects and their larvae. Forages in pairs or small coveys (presumably family groups).
McGowan, P.J.K., Kirwan, G.M. & Boesman, P. (2019). Hildebrandt's Francolin (Pternistis hildebrandti). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from https://www.hbw.com/node/53415 on 21 April 2019).