Snow Mountain Quail vs Indian Peafowl
Anurophasis monorthonyx compared with Pavo cristatus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Snow Mountain Quail | Indian Peafowl |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anurophasis monorthonyx | Pavo cristatus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 195.0 cm (76.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 29.4 cm (11.6 in) | 160.0 cm (63.0 in) |
| Weight | 401.0 g (14.14 oz) | 5000.0 g (176.37 oz) |
| Diet | Poorly known; presumed to eat seeds and invertebrates in New Guinea alpine grassland above 3,000 … | Omnivorous — seeds, berries, insects, small vertebrates, and cultivated crops. Forages on the ground in … |
| Clutch Size | 3 | 3-8 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Indian Peafowl
Open forests, farmland, and areas near water in the Indian subcontinent. Highly adaptable and common near human settlements.
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.
Indian Peafowl
Loud, harsh, repetitive 'may-AWE' screaming call, audible over great distances. Display calls are a mewing 'aaaow'. Peacocks call persistently at dawn and before rain.
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.
Indian Peafowl
Indian subcontinent including India, Sri Lanka, and parts of Pakistan and Bangladesh. Feral populations worldwide.
Conservation Status
Snow Mountain Quail
Indian Peafowl
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.
Indian Peafowl
Males (peacocks) have iridescent blue-green plumage and an enormous train of elongated upper tail coverts with eye-spots. Females (peahens) are brown and cryptically patterned.
Short, stout, greyish-horn bill
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.
Indian Peafowl
The Indian peafowl is the national bird of India and one of the most spectacular birds in the world. The peacock's enormous train, which can span over two meters, is used in elaborate courtship displays where the feathers are fanned and vibrated. Despite their size, peafowl can fly short distances and roost in tall trees.