Ruffed Grouse vs Ahanta Spurfowl
Bonasa umbellus compared with Pternistis ahantensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Ruffed Grouse | Ahanta Spurfowl |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Bonasa umbellus | Pternistis ahantensis |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 36.6 cm (14.4 in) | 34.6 cm (13.6 in) |
| Weight | 613.0 g (21.62 oz) | 547.5 g (19.31 oz) |
| Diet | Buds, catkins, and leaves of deciduous trees dominate diet in winter; berries, seeds, and invertebrates … | Feeds on seeds, invertebrates, and plant matter in West African lowland forest and thicket. |
| Clutch Size | 6-15 | 3-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Ruffed Grouse
Males produce deep, accelerating drumming with wings on hollow logs; thump-thump-thump-rrrrrr. Vocal calls include soft 'quit-quit'; alarm is a sharp 'pit'. Drumming carries up to 400 meters.
Ahanta Spurfowl
Loud, staccato 'krak-krak-KRAAK' from W African forest edge; slightly higher than larger spurfowl. Alarm is rapid explosive cackling. Pairs call in loose synchrony at dawn in secondary growth.
Geographic Range & Migration
Ruffed Grouse
Resident across boreal forests of North America from Alaska south to the Appalachians. Found in deciduous and mixed woodland. Largely sedentary.
Ahanta Spurfowl
Resident of dense lowland and coastal forest in West Africa from Ghana to Cameroon; also found in Bioko Island.
Conservation Status
Ruffed Grouse
Ahanta Spurfowl
How to Tell Them Apart
Ruffed Grouse
Cryptic brown or grey morph; broad black ruff on neck sides; tail broadly banded grey with black subterminal bar; underparts barred buff and brown; red eye-comb; two colour morphs vary …
Ahanta Spurfowl
Dark brown above with pale buff shaft streaks; whitish below with dark brown streaking; red bill; red orbital skin; yellow legs. Sexes similar; closely resembles Double-spurred Spurfowl; West African forests.
About These Birds
Ruffed Grouse
A medium-sized grouse (~610 g) of family Phasianidae, well camouflaged in brown and grey with a fan-shaped tail and neck ruff. Inhabits deciduous and mixed forests of North America. Males drum by beating wings to produce a distinctive booming sound. Feeds on buds, leaves, and berries. Least Concern; an important game bird across its broad North American forest range.
Ahanta Spurfowl
A medium Phasianidae spurfowl (~548 g) of lowland and secondary forest edges in West Africa from Ivory Coast to Nigeria. Dark brown streaked white; red orbital skin. Forages on the ground in pairs or small groups for seeds, berries, and invertebrates. Tolerates forest fragments; Least Concern.