Ferruginous Partridge vs Black Partridge
Caloperdix oculeus compared with Melanoperdix niger
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Ferruginous Partridge | Black Partridge |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caloperdix oculeus | Melanoperdix niger |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Near Threatened | Vulnerable |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 28.3 cm (11.1 in) | 26.8 cm (10.6 in) |
| Weight | 210.5 g (7.43 oz) | 280.5 g (9.89 oz) |
| Diet | Eats seeds, invertebrates, and small fruits on floor of Southeast Asian lowland and hill forests. … | Eats seeds, invertebrates, and small fruits on floor of Bornean and Sumatran lowland rainforests. Scratches … |
| Clutch Size | 8-10 | 2-6 |
| 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.
Black Partridge
Infrequently recorded; gives a series of sharp, nasal 'krek' calls from peat swamp forest floor. Alarm is a low explosive cluck; poorly documented due to rarity and secretive habits.
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.
Black Partridge
Resident in lowland and montane forest of the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo up to 1,500 m. Found in primary forest.
Conservation Status
Ferruginous Partridge
Black Partridge
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.
Black Partridge
Strongly dimorphic: male is entirely glossy jet black; female is rich rufous-chestnut with dark barring on wings and finely scaled underparts. Extreme sexual dimorphism with no overlap in colour.
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.
Black Partridge
A small sexually dimorphic partridge (~280 g) of family Phasianidae, males entirely black and females rufous-brown. Endemic to lowland rainforests of the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. Highly secretive, foraging on the forest floor for seeds and invertebrates in dense undergrowth. Vulnerable; declining with rapid lowland deforestation and conversion to palm oil plantations.