Bar-backed Partridge vs Altai Snowcock
Arborophila brunneopectus compared with Tetraogallus altaicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Bar-backed Partridge | Altai Snowcock |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Arborophila brunneopectus | Tetraogallus altaicus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 26.3 cm (10.4 in) | 56.9 cm (22.4 in) |
| Weight | 292.5 g (10.32 oz) | 2770.0 g (97.71 oz) |
| Diet | Forages on floor of Southeast Asian hill and montane forests for seeds, invertebrates, and small … | Feeds on alpine grasses, seeds, berries, and shoots; digs for roots and bulbs in Altai … |
| Clutch Size | 4 | 4-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Bar-backed Partridge
Loud, mellow 'hoo-WEE' whistle in pairs; first note lower and shorter. SE Asian hill forest species calling from dense cover at dusk and dawn. Alarm a clucking rattle.
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
Bar-backed Partridge
Resident in Thailand, southern China, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam. Found in dense forest and bamboo below 1,800 m.
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
Bar-backed Partridge
Altai Snowcock
How to Tell Them Apart
Bar-backed Partridge
Back and wings brown with bold black-and-buff barring; throat and face buff with dark streaks; breast brown; flanks grey with white streaks; bare red eye-ring; barred back is the key …
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
Bar-backed Partridge
A medium-sized partridge (~290 g) of family Phasianidae, with boldly barred brown upperparts and a brownish breast. Inhabits subtropical and lower montane forests of northern Southeast Asia from Myanmar and Thailand to southern China and Indochina. Forages on the forest floor for seeds and invertebrates. Least Concern; broadly distributed across mainland Southeast Asian montane forests.
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.