Hill Partridge vs Long-billed Partridge
Arborophila torqueola compared with Rhizothera longirostris
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Hill Partridge | Long-billed Partridge |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Arborophila torqueola | Rhizothera longirostris |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 27.3 cm (10.7 in) | 36.9 cm (14.5 in) |
| Weight | 342.0 g (12.06 oz) | 748.5 g (26.40 oz) |
| Diet | Forages on Himalayan forest floor for seeds, invertebrates, and small fruits. Scratches leaf litter in … | Forages in lowland rainforest for seeds, fallen fruit, invertebrates, and small animals; probes leaf litter … |
| Clutch Size | 3-9 | 2-5 |
| 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.
Long-billed Partridge
Loud, resonant 'whurr-WHEEE' whistle from Bornean lowland forest; far-carrying and slightly mournful. Alarm is a rapid chattering cackle. Contact calls between pairs are low, guttural clucks.
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.
Long-billed Partridge
Resident of lowland and hill dipterocarp forest in peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo up to 900 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Hill Partridge
Long-billed Partridge
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.
Long-billed Partridge
Rich chestnut-brown upperparts with black scalloping; pale grey face and throat; buff-white underparts with dark brown streaking on flanks; distinctive elongated pale yellow bill and red orbital skin.
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.
Long-billed Partridge
A distinctive Phasianidae partridge (~749 g) of lowland and foothill rainforests in Sundaland. Named for its notably elongated bill used to probe leaf litter for invertebrates and seeds. Secretive and seldom seen; Near Threatened from deforestation across Borneo and the Malay Peninsula.