Snow Mountain Quail vs Ferruginous Partridge
Anurophasis monorthonyx compared with Caloperdix oculeus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Snow Mountain Quail | Ferruginous Partridge |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anurophasis monorthonyx | Caloperdix oculeus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 29.4 cm (11.6 in) | 28.3 cm (11.1 in) |
| Weight | 401.0 g (14.14 oz) | 210.5 g (7.43 oz) |
| Diet | Poorly known; presumed to eat seeds and invertebrates in New Guinea alpine grassland above 3,000 … | Eats seeds, invertebrates, and small fruits on floor of Southeast Asian lowland and hill forests. … |
| Clutch Size | 3 | 8-10 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Snow Mountain Quail
Infrequently recorded; believed to give loud, far-carrying whistled calls from New Guinea alpine grassland. Poorly known vocally. Alarm presumed to be sharp 'kek' notes; rarely documented in field.
Ferruginous Partridge
Sharp, staccato 'krik-krik-krik' calls from lowland rainforest; often given in duet. Alarm is a loud, rapid chattering rattle; contact notes between pairs soft and clucking.
Geographic Range & Migration
Snow Mountain Quail
Endemic to the Snow Mountains (Pegunungan Maoke) of central New Guinea (Papua, Indonesia) above 3,100 m; poorly known.
Ferruginous Partridge
Resident in lowland rainforest of the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. Found in flat or gently sloping lowland forest.
Conservation Status
Snow Mountain Quail
Ferruginous Partridge
How to Tell Them Apart
Snow Mountain Quail
Large quail; brown above with black and buff streaking; white below with bold black streaks; white supercilium; chestnut-streaked flanks; red bill and legs. Sexes similar; high-altitude New Guinea endemic.
Ferruginous Partridge
Rich ferruginous (deep rusty-orange) overall; upperparts black-and-rufous barred; flanks black boldly spotted white; bare red facial skin; underparts rufous-orange; one of the most vividly coloured Southeast Asian partridges.
About These Birds
Snow Mountain Quail
A large, robust Phasianidae quail (~401 g) restricted to subalpine and alpine grasslands of the Snow Mountains (Pegunungan Maoke) in West Papua. One of New Guinea's high-altitude endemics. Forages on the ground for grass seeds and invertebrates. Remote habitat affords some protection. Least Concern.
Ferruginous Partridge
A small partridge (~210 g) of family Phasianidae, with rich ferruginous (rust-red) plumage and spotted black-and-white markings. Inhabits lowland and foothill rainforests in Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo. Secretive, foraging on the forest floor for seeds and invertebrates. Near Threatened; associated with primary and tall secondary forest, declining with ongoing logging and land conversion.