Snow Mountain Quail vs Altai Snowcock
Anurophasis monorthonyx compared with Tetraogallus altaicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Snow Mountain Quail | Altai Snowcock |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anurophasis monorthonyx | Tetraogallus altaicus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 29.4 cm (11.6 in) | 56.9 cm (22.4 in) |
| Weight | 401.0 g (14.14 oz) | 2770.0 g (97.71 oz) |
| Diet | Poorly known; presumed to eat seeds and invertebrates in New Guinea alpine grassland above 3,000 … | Feeds on alpine grasses, seeds, berries, and shoots; digs for roots and bulbs in Altai … |
| Clutch Size | 3 | 4-15 |
| 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.
Altai Snowcock
Loud, ringing whistled 'whi-WHEEE' echoing across Altai alpine slopes; deeper than Tibetan Snowcock due to larger size. Alarm is rapid barking. Calls at dawn from rocky ridgelines.
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.
Altai Snowcock
Resident of alpine rocky slopes and grassy hillsides in the Altai and Sayan mountains of Russia, Kazakhstan, and western Mongolia, at 2,000–4,000 m.
Conservation Status
Snow Mountain Quail
Altai Snowcock
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.
Altai Snowcock
Largest snowcock; grey-brown upperparts with buff streaks; white underparts with grey breast; rufous necklace streaks on lower neck; white outer tail in flight; whitish face with dark ear patch. Sexes …
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.
Altai Snowcock
The largest snowcock (~2.77 kg), family Phasianidae, of alpine scree and subalpine meadows in the Altai and Tian Shan ranges of Central Asia. Heavily built, grey and white with rusty-brown markings. Feeds on roots, bulbs, and alpine plants. Forms small flocks outside breeding season. Least Concern.