Ferruginous Partridge vs Japanese Quail
Caloperdix oculeus compared with Coturnix japonica
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Ferruginous Partridge | Japanese Quail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caloperdix oculeus | Coturnix japonica |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Near Threatened | Near Threatened |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 28.3 cm (11.1 in) | 19.4 cm (7.6 in) |
| Weight | 210.5 g (7.43 oz) | 94.5 g (3.33 oz) |
| Diet | Eats seeds, invertebrates, and small fruits on floor of Southeast Asian lowland and hill forests. … | Feeds on small seeds, grain, and invertebrates in grassland; highly migratory, shifting diet seasonally. |
| Clutch Size | 8-10 | 5-13 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Ferruginous Partridge
Sharp, staccato 'krik-krik-krik' calls from lowland rainforest; often given in duet. Alarm is a loud, rapid chattering rattle; contact notes between pairs soft and clucking.
Japanese Quail
Three-note 'ko-ko-ROO' call; slightly lower and less liquid than Common Quail. Domestic breeds call year-round. Alarm is soft 'pip'. Calls from grassland, often at night during migration.
Geographic Range & Migration
Ferruginous Partridge
Resident in lowland rainforest of the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. Found in flat or gently sloping lowland forest.
Japanese Quail
Breeds in Siberia, Japan, and Korea; partially migratory, wintering in China, Southeast Asia, and India; ancestor of domestic quail.
Conservation Status
Ferruginous Partridge
Japanese Quail
How to Tell Them Apart
Ferruginous Partridge
Rich ferruginous (deep rusty-orange) overall; upperparts black-and-rufous barred; flanks black boldly spotted white; bare red facial skin; underparts rufous-orange; one of the most vividly coloured Southeast Asian partridges.
Japanese Quail
Warm brown above with buff shaft streaks; pale buff below with dark brown streaking; male with rufous-orange throat and cheeks; female with pale buff throat and dark-spotted breast; closely resembles …
About These Birds
Ferruginous Partridge
A small partridge (~210 g) of family Phasianidae, with rich ferruginous (rust-red) plumage and spotted black-and-white markings. Inhabits lowland and foothill rainforests in Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo. Secretive, foraging on the forest floor for seeds and invertebrates. Near Threatened; associated with primary and tall secondary forest, declining with ongoing logging and land conversion.
Japanese Quail
A small Phasianidae quail (~95 g) of grassland and cropland in East Asia, migratory between breeding grounds in Siberia and Japan and winter quarters in southern China. Extensively domesticated for egg and meat production. Wild populations are Near Threatened due to hybridisation with domestic strains and hunting.