Ruffed Grouse vs Altai Snowcock
Bonasa umbellus compared with Tetraogallus altaicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Ruffed Grouse | Altai Snowcock |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Bonasa umbellus | Tetraogallus altaicus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 36.6 cm (14.4 in) | 56.9 cm (22.4 in) |
| Weight | 613.0 g (21.62 oz) | 2770.0 g (97.71 oz) |
| Diet | Buds, catkins, and leaves of deciduous trees dominate diet in winter; berries, seeds, and invertebrates … | Feeds on alpine grasses, seeds, berries, and shoots; digs for roots and bulbs in Altai … |
| Clutch Size | 6-15 | 4-15 |
| 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.
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
Ruffed Grouse
Resident across boreal forests of North America from Alaska south to the Appalachians. Found in deciduous and mixed woodland. Largely sedentary.
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
Ruffed Grouse
Altai Snowcock
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 …
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
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.
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.