Great Argus vs African Blue Quail
Argusianus argus compared with Synoicus adansonii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Great Argus | African Blue Quail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Argusianus argus | Synoicus adansonii |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 76.8 cm (30.2 in) | 14.9 cm (5.9 in) |
| Weight | 1956.25 g (69.00 oz) | 41.666666666666664 g (1.47 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous ground forager; eats fallen fruits, seeds, invertebrates, and small animals; scratches leaf litter in … | Feeds on small grass seeds, invertebrates, and plant matter in African tropical grassland and wetland … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 3-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Great Argus
Magnificent loud 'qua-WAWW' wailing call echoing through SE Asian rainforest; one of most distinctive tropical bird calls. Male calls from cleared dancing arena. Alarm is explosive barking cackle.
African Blue Quail
High, thin 'wee-wee-wee-wee' whistle in series; tiny, cryptic African grassland quail. Alarm is a sharp 'pip'. Very quiet overall; contact clucks barely audible. Calls at dawn and dusk.
Geographic Range & Migration
Great Argus
Resident of lowland and hill forest in peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo, from sea level to 900 m.
African Blue Quail
Nomadic resident of open grassland, wetland edge, and savanna across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia and south to Angola.
Conservation Status
Great Argus
African Blue Quail
How to Tell Them Apart
Great Argus
Male with enormously elongated secondary feathers bearing large three-dimensional ocelli in tawny-brown, black, and buff; long dark tail; blue and red bare head. Female similar but shorter wings and tail.
African Blue Quail
Male dark slaty-blue overall with chestnut flanks; white face markings with black border; similar to Asian Blue Quail. Female brown with buff streaking; pale underparts. African counterpart of Asian Blue …
About These Birds
Great Argus
A large Phasianidae pheasant (~1.96 kg) of Sundaland rainforests. Males possess enormous secondary wing feathers covered with intricate eye-spots used in a remarkable solo lek display. Clears a dancing court on the forest floor. Feeds on fallen fruits, shoots, and invertebrates. Vulnerable from deforestation.
African Blue Quail
A tiny Phasianidae quail (~42 g) of tall grasses and moist savanna across sub-Saharan Africa. Males have a slaty-blue face and rusty-buff flanks; one of Africa's smallest birds. Highly secretive; rarely flushed. Feeds on tiny grass seeds and invertebrates. Migratory or nomadic following rains. Least Concern.