Sand Partridge vs Painted Francolin
Ammoperdix heyi compared with Francolinus pictus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sand Partridge | Painted Francolin |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ammoperdix heyi | Francolinus pictus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 24.6 cm (9.7 in) | 27.8 cm (10.9 in) |
| Weight | 190.0 g (6.70 oz) | 291.0 g (10.26 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on seeds, plant matter, and invertebrates in arid rocky hillsides of the Arabian Peninsula … | Eats seeds, grain, invertebrates, and plant material; forages in dry grass and scrubby areas of … |
| Clutch Size | 5-14 | 4-8 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Sand Partridge
Soft, plaintive 'see-see' whistle from rocky desert wadis; slightly thinner and more plaintive than See-see Partridge. Middle Eastern arid species calling at dawn. Alarm is sharp 'kek-kek' series.
Painted Francolin
Loud, insistent 'ka-TURR-ka' calls from Indian scrub; similar to Black Francolin but slightly higher and less grating. Alarm is rapid cackling cackle. Males call from termite mound or rock at …
Geographic Range & Migration
Sand Partridge
Resident of rocky desert wadis and hillsides in the Sinai, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen; closely associated with arid terrain.
Painted Francolin
Endemic to India; resident of open scrub, dry grassland, and farmland across most of peninsular India.
Conservation Status
Sand Partridge
Painted Francolin
How to Tell Them Apart
Sand Partridge
Male pale sandy-buff with orange-chestnut and white barred flanks; orange-buff face; grey crown; orange bill and legs. Female plain pale sandy-buff throughout; similar to female See-see but range differs.
Painted Francolin
Richly patterned; black above with large white spots; rufous-orange face and throat; white-spotted black flanks; rufous-chestnut underparts with black shaft streaks. Female lacks rufous on face; duller below.
About These Birds
Sand Partridge
A small Phasianidae partridge (~190 g) of sandy desert wadis and rocky slopes in the Middle East and northeastern Africa. Fawn-buff plumage with chestnut flank bars blends with desert substrate. Extremely heat-tolerant; active at dawn and dusk. Feeds on desert seeds and invertebrates. Least Concern.
Painted Francolin
A small Phasianidae francolin (~291 g) of rocky hillsides, scrub, and dry grassland across peninsular India and Sri Lanka. Both sexes are intricately spotted and streaked in rufous and white. Shy; detected by resonant calls. Feeds on seeds and invertebrates on the ground. Least Concern; common locally.