Ferruginous Partridge vs Elgon Francolin
Caloperdix oculeus compared with Scleroptila elgonensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Ferruginous Partridge | Elgon Francolin |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Caloperdix oculeus | Scleroptila elgonensis |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 28.3 cm (11.1 in) | 34.4 cm (13.5 in) |
| Weight | 210.5 g (7.43 oz) | 478.0 g (16.86 oz) |
| Diet | Eats seeds, invertebrates, and small fruits on floor of Southeast Asian lowland and hill forests. … | Feeds on seeds and invertebrates in montane grassland and heathland of East African highlands. |
| Clutch Size | 8-10 | 5 |
| 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.
Elgon Francolin
Loud, strident 'krak-KRAK-krak' calls from Mount Elgon moorland; ringing and emphatic. Mt Elgon and Ugandan highlands endemic. Alarm is explosive cackling cackle. Pairs call antiphonally at dawn.
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.
Elgon Francolin
Resident of Afroalpine moorland on Mount Elgon (Kenya/Uganda border), above 3,000 m; very restricted range.
Conservation Status
Ferruginous Partridge
Elgon Francolin
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.
Elgon Francolin
Brown above with buff shaft streaks and dark spotting; pale buff underparts with dark brown streaking; white throat; rufous wing flash; yellow bill; red legs in male, yellow in female; …
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.
Elgon Francolin
A medium Phasianidae francolin (~478 g) of highland grassland and heathland on the slopes of Mount Elgon and neighbouring mountains in Uganda and Kenya. Typically found above 2,400 m. Brown-streaked and well camouflaged. Feeds on seeds and invertebrates; occurs in pairs or small groups. Least Concern.