Chestnut-headed Partridge vs Painted Francolin
Arborophila cambodiana compared with Francolinus pictus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Chestnut-headed Partridge | Painted Francolin |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Arborophila cambodiana | Francolinus pictus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 28.5 cm (11.2 in) | 27.8 cm (10.9 in) |
| Weight | 286.0 g (10.09 oz) | 291.0 g (10.26 oz) |
| Diet | Forages on floor of Cambodian and Thai montane forests for seeds, invertebrates, and small fruits. | Eats seeds, grain, invertebrates, and plant material; forages in dry grass and scrubby areas of … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 4-8 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Chestnut-headed Partridge
Melodic, slightly tremulous 'wee-WEE-oo' repeated 3–5 times; pure whistle quality. Calls from Cambodian highland forest at dawn. Alarm is a harsh, clucking rattle when disturbed.
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
Chestnut-headed Partridge
Resident in Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Found in lowland and foothill forest.
Painted Francolin
Endemic to India; resident of open scrub, dry grassland, and farmland across most of peninsular India.
Conservation Status
Chestnut-headed Partridge
Painted Francolin
How to Tell Them Apart
Chestnut-headed Partridge
Rich chestnut-orange head contrasting with grey breast; brown back with black streaks; throat buff-white; flanks grey with white streaks; bare red eye-ring; chestnut head is boldly distinctive.
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
Chestnut-headed Partridge
A medium-sized partridge (~285 g) of family Phasianidae, with a distinctive chestnut head and nape. Inhabits foothill and montane forests in the Cardamom Mountains of Cambodia and adjacent Thailand. Forages on the forest floor for seeds, berries, and invertebrates. Least Concern; found in relatively intact montane forest within a restricted range; protected by rugged terrain.
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.