Bornean Partridge vs Ahanta Spurfowl

Arborophila hyperythra compared with Pternistis ahantensis

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Bornean Partridge Ahanta Spurfowl
Scientific Name Arborophila hyperythra Pternistis ahantensis
Order Galliformes Galliformes
Family Phasianidae Phasianidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 28.2 cm (11.1 in) 34.6 cm (13.6 in)
Weight 270.0 g (9.52 oz) 547.5 g (19.31 oz)
Diet Forages on Bornean montane forest floor for seeds, invertebrates, and small fruits. Scratches leaf litter … Feeds on seeds, invertebrates, and plant matter in West African lowland forest and thicket.
Clutch Size -- 3-12
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Bornean Partridge only

None

Ahanta Spurfowl only

Song & Call Comparison

Bornean Partridge

Song

Pure, rising 'wheeet' whistle followed by softer 'oo'; Bornean endemic heard in montane cloud forest. Alarm is a sharp rapid clatter. Pairs occasionally synchronize calls at dawn.

Ahanta Spurfowl

Song

Loud, staccato 'krak-krak-KRAAK' from W African forest edge; slightly higher than larger spurfowl. Alarm is rapid explosive cackling. Pairs call in loose synchrony at dawn in secondary growth.

Geographic Range & Migration

Bornean Partridge

Endemic to Borneo at 500-1,700 m elevation. Found in foothill and montane rainforest of Sabah, Sarawak, and Kalimantan.

Ahanta Spurfowl

Resident of dense lowland and coastal forest in West Africa from Ghana to Cameroon; also found in Bioko Island.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Bornean Partridge

Least Concern

Ahanta Spurfowl

How to Tell Them Apart

Bornean Partridge

Plumage

Brown above; entire underparts rich rufous-orange from throat to vent; bare red eye-ring; back shows dark-centred feathers with buff fringes; deeply rufous underparts cover whole belly and flanks.

Ahanta Spurfowl

Plumage

Dark brown above with pale buff shaft streaks; whitish below with dark brown streaking; red bill; red orbital skin; yellow legs. Sexes similar; closely resembles Double-spurred Spurfowl; West African forests.

About These Birds

Bornean Partridge

A medium-sized partridge (~270 g) of family Phasianidae, with rufous-orange breast and barred brown upperparts. Endemic to Borneo, inhabiting primary lowland and montane forests from sea level to 1,800 m elevation. Forages on the forest floor for seeds, berries, and invertebrates. Least Concern; broadly distributed across Borneo's forests, though logging and land conversion pose growing threats.

Ahanta Spurfowl

A medium Phasianidae spurfowl (~548 g) of lowland and secondary forest edges in West Africa from Ivory Coast to Nigeria. Dark brown streaked white; red orbital skin. Forages on the ground in pairs or small groups for seeds, berries, and invertebrates. Tolerates forest fragments; Least Concern.

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