Sumatran Partridge vs Painted Francolin
Arborophila sumatrana compared with Francolinus pictus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Sumatran Partridge | Painted Francolin |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Arborophila sumatrana | Francolinus pictus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 28.2 cm (11.1 in) | 27.8 cm (10.9 in) |
| Weight | 336.0 g (11.85 oz) | 291.0 g (10.26 oz) |
| Diet | Eats seeds, invertebrates, and small fruits on floor of Sumatran montane forests. Scratches leaf litter … | 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
Sumatran Partridge
Resonant, slow 'phoo-WHEEE' whistle; Sumatran endemic with soft, slightly mournful tone. Calling bird remains concealed. Alarm note a quick repeated 'kik'; flock contact involves quiet murmuring.
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
Sumatran Partridge
Endemic to southern Sumatra in Lampung and South Sumatra provinces at 200-1,200 m. Found in lowland and hill forest.
Painted Francolin
Endemic to India; resident of open scrub, dry grassland, and farmland across most of peninsular India.
Conservation Status
Sumatran Partridge
Painted Francolin
How to Tell Them Apart
Sumatran Partridge
Dark brown above with buff streaking; throat buff-white; breast grey-brown; flanks grey with white streaks; bare red eye-ring; Sumatran endemic with no bold colour features; cryptic forest floor colouring.
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
Sumatran Partridge
A medium-sized partridge (~335 g) of family Phasianidae, with brownish plumage and scaly underparts. Endemic to Sumatra, inhabiting primary and secondary highland forests at 600–2,000 m elevation. Forages on the forest floor for seeds, berries, and invertebrates. Least Concern; Sumatra's mountain forests retain substantial cover in protected areas, supporting stable partridge populations.
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.