Barbary Partridge vs Brown Quail

Alectoris barbara compared with Synoicus ypsilophorus

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Barbary Partridge Brown Quail
Scientific Name Alectoris barbara Synoicus ypsilophorus
Order Galliformes Galliformes
Family Phasianidae Phasianidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 32.6 cm (12.8 in) 19.6 cm (7.7 in)
Weight 418.5 g (14.76 oz) 110.0 g (3.88 oz)
Diet Feeds on seeds, berries, shoots, and invertebrates in North African scrub, rocky terrain, and farmland. Feeds on grass seeds, invertebrates, and plant material in Australian grassland and open scrub.
Clutch Size 6-27 4-18
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

None

Barbary Partridge only

Brown Quail only

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Song & Call Comparison

Barbary Partridge

Song

Loud, nasal 'kee-kee-kee-KARRR' calls from N African rocky terrain; slightly lower than Red-legged Partridge. Alarm is rapid cackling cackle. Pairs call in duet at dawn on rocky hillsides and scrub.

Brown Quail

Song

High, ascending two-note 'to-WHEEE'; second note sustained. Australian and SE Asian grasslands; calls from dense grass at dusk. Alarm is sharp 'pip' notes. Contact calls are soft rolling clucks.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Barbary Partridge

Resident of rocky hillsides, scrub, and coastal areas in North Africa (Morocco to Libya), Canary Islands, Sardinia, Gibraltar, and Madeira.

Brown Quail

Resident and nomadic across Australia (except arid interior), Indonesia, and New Guinea; also found in Timor and Lesser Sundas.

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Conservation Status

Least Concern

Barbary Partridge

Least Concern

Brown Quail

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How to Tell Them Apart

Barbary Partridge

Plumage

Blue-grey upperparts; chestnut-spotted white flank bars; grey crown; rufous-brown collar with white spots; reddish-orange bill and legs; white face. Closely resembles Red-legged Partridge but collar spotted.

Brown Quail

Plumage

Dark rufous-brown above with buff shaft streaks and dark scalloping; pale buff below with dark brown streaking; darker than most quails; male has grey face and rufous underparts; female brownish …

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About These Birds

Barbary Partridge

A medium Phasianidae partridge (~419 g) of rocky hillsides, scrub, and open slopes across North Africa, the Canary Islands, and Gibraltar. Grey-brown with a spotted chestnut-necklace pattern. Lives in pairs or small coveys; feeds on seeds, bulbs, and invertebrates. Least Concern; introduced as a gamebird in several regions.

Brown Quail

A small Phasianidae quail (~110 g) of grassland, open woodland, and cereal crops across Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands. Brown and heavily streaked; runs strongly. Forms small flocks. Feeds on grass seeds and invertebrates. Nomadic in response to rainfall and food availability. Least Concern.

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