Harlequin Quail vs Ahanta Spurfowl
Coturnix delegorguei compared with Pternistis ahantensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Harlequin Quail | Ahanta Spurfowl |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Coturnix delegorguei | Pternistis ahantensis |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 18.1 cm (7.1 in) | 34.6 cm (13.6 in) |
| Weight | 75.64 g (2.67 oz) | 547.5 g (19.31 oz) |
| Diet | Eats seeds, grain, and invertebrates in African and Arabian grassland; nomadic, tracking rainfall and food … | Feeds on seeds, invertebrates, and plant matter in West African lowland forest and thicket. |
| Clutch Size | 4-8 | 3-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Harlequin Quail only
Ahanta Spurfowl only
Song & Call Comparison
Harlequin Quail
Rapid, emphatic 'weet-weet-weet' call; faster and more staccato than Common Quail. Sub-Saharan African grassland species. Alarm is a soft 'pip'. Calls persistently at dawn and dusk from dense grass.
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
Harlequin Quail
Breeds in open grassland and savanna from sub-Saharan Africa to India; intra-African and partial migrant depending on rainfall.
Ahanta Spurfowl
Resident of dense lowland and coastal forest in West Africa from Ghana to Cameroon; also found in Bioko Island.
Conservation Status
Harlequin Quail
Ahanta Spurfowl
How to Tell Them Apart
Harlequin Quail
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
Harlequin Quail
A small, nomadic Phasianidae quail (~76 g) of open grassland and cultivated areas across sub-Saharan Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. Males are boldly patterned black-and-white below with chestnut flanks. Erratically nomadic following rains. Feeds on seeds and small invertebrates. Least Concern.
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.