Hill Partridge vs Sclater's Monal
Arborophila torqueola compared with Lophophorus sclateri
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Hill Partridge | Sclater's Monal |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Arborophila torqueola | Lophophorus sclateri |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 27.3 cm (10.7 in) | 59.0 cm (23.2 in) |
| Weight | 342.0 g (12.06 oz) | 2402.0 g (84.73 oz) |
| Diet | Forages on Himalayan forest floor for seeds, invertebrates, and small fruits. Scratches leaf litter in … | Digs for tubers, bulbs, and invertebrates in montane meadows of northeastern India and Myanmar. Forages … |
| Clutch Size | 3-9 | 2-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Hill Partridge
Repeated melodic whistle 'wi-WHEEEOO' rising and falling; pairs often duet. Males sing from hillside undergrowth at dawn. Alarm is a sharp, emphatic 'kek' or staccato clucking.
Sclater's Monal
Loud, penetrating 'kee-yaa' cries from Yunnan-Myanmar alpine slopes; slightly more nasal than Himalayan Monal. Alarm is harsh repeated yelping; contact calls are softer clucking 'kok' notes.
Geographic Range & Migration
Hill Partridge
Resident in the Himalayas and hills of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and southern China at 1,000-3,500 m. Found in oak and rhododendron forest.
Sclater's Monal
Resident in the mountains of northeastern India (Arunachal Pradesh), northern Myanmar, and adjacent Tibet and Yunnan at 2,800-4,200 m.
Conservation Status
Hill Partridge
Sclater's Monal
How to Tell Them Apart
Hill Partridge
Male has orange-rufous face, white-spotted black throat collar, grey breast, and chestnut flanks streaked white on dark brown back. Female has brown face with buff streaking, less vivid collar.
Sclater's Monal
About These Birds
Hill Partridge
A medium-sized partridge (~340 g) of family Phasianidae, with intricate rufous, black, and white patterning and an orange-rufous head. Inhabits subtropical and montane broadleaved forests and bamboo thickets in the Himalayas from Pakistan to southwestern China. Forages on the forest floor for seeds, berries, and invertebrates. Least Concern; common in Himalayan foothills.
Sclater's Monal
A large pheasant (~2.4 kg) of family Phasianidae, males iridescent blue-green and purple with a white rump patch; females brown. Inhabits montane forests and subalpine scrub in northeastern India, northern Myanmar, and southwestern China at 2,400–4,250 m. Forages for bulbs, berries, and invertebrates. Least Concern; occurs at high elevations in the eastern Himalayan region.