White-faced Partridge vs Altai Snowcock
Arborophila orientalis compared with Tetraogallus altaicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | White-faced Partridge | Altai Snowcock |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Arborophila orientalis | Tetraogallus altaicus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 28.5 cm (11.2 in) | 56.9 cm (22.4 in) |
| Weight | 310.5 g (10.95 oz) | 2770.0 g (97.71 oz) |
| Diet | Eats seeds, invertebrates, and small fruits on floor of East Javan and Balinese montane forests. … | Feeds on alpine grasses, seeds, berries, and shoots; digs for roots and bulbs in Altai … |
| Clutch Size | 2-4 | 4-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
White-faced Partridge
Rising 'wheee-oo' whistle with clean, flute-like quality; calls from E Java mountains at dusk and dawn. Alarm produces sharp abrupt chips. Covey contact maintained with low rolling clucks.
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
White-faced Partridge
Endemic to the Lesser Sunda Islands of eastern Java, Bali, and Lombok. Found in montane and lowland forest.
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
White-faced Partridge
Altai Snowcock
How to Tell Them Apart
White-faced Partridge
Brown above; face and throat strikingly white contrasting with dark crown and neck; breast grey; flanks olive-grey streaked white; bare reddish eye-ring; extensive white on face is immediately distinctive.
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
White-faced Partridge
A medium-sized partridge (~310 g) of family Phasianidae, with a distinctive white face and scaly brown upperparts. Found in montane forests of eastern Java and Bali. Inhabits highland broadleaved forest at 800–2,500 m elevation. Forages secretively on the forest floor for seeds and invertebrates. Vulnerable; restricted to a small area of eastern Java and Bali with ongoing deforestation.
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.