Mountain Bamboo-partridge vs Altai Snowcock
Bambusicola fytchii compared with Tetraogallus altaicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mountain Bamboo-partridge | Altai Snowcock |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Bambusicola fytchii | Tetraogallus altaicus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 28.6 cm (11.3 in) | 56.9 cm (22.4 in) |
| Weight | 318.5 g (11.23 oz) | 2770.0 g (97.71 oz) |
| Diet | Eats seeds, berries, invertebrates, and plant material in bamboo forest and scrub of northeastern India … | Feeds on alpine grasses, seeds, berries, and shoots; digs for roots and bulbs in Altai … |
| Clutch Size | 3-8 | 4-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Mountain Bamboo-partridge
Loud, explosive 'chi-fu-fu' or 'pink-pink-pink' calls from NE Indian bamboo forest; noisy, far-carrying. Alarm is rapid cackling rattle. Contact calls between flock members are soft 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
Mountain Bamboo-partridge
Resident of secondary scrub, bamboo, and forest edge from northeastern India (Manipur) east through Myanmar to southern China and Indochina.
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
Mountain Bamboo-partridge
Altai Snowcock
How to Tell Them Apart
Mountain Bamboo-partridge
Chestnut-brown upperparts with grey crown; white supercilium; black-spotted rufous-orange flanks and breast; white belly; rufous tail. Sexes similar; male with small tarsal spur. Endemic to South and Southeast Asia.
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
Mountain Bamboo-partridge
A small Phasianidae partridge (~319 g) of hill and montane bamboo forest and scrub from northeastern India through Myanmar to southern China. Highly vocal; utters loud, repetitive calls. Lives in pairs or small groups; feeds on seeds, bamboo shoots, and invertebrates. Least Concern; adaptable to edge habitats.
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.