Tibetan Eared-pheasant vs Ahanta Spurfowl
Crossoptilon harmani compared with Pternistis ahantensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Tibetan Eared-pheasant | Ahanta Spurfowl |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Crossoptilon harmani | Pternistis ahantensis |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 56.4 cm (22.2 in) | 34.6 cm (13.6 in) |
| Weight | 1946.0 g (68.64 oz) | 547.5 g (19.31 oz) |
| Diet | Digs for tubers, bulbs, roots, and invertebrates on Tibetan plateau; also eats seeds and berries. | Feeds on seeds, invertebrates, and plant matter in West African lowland forest and thicket. |
| Clutch Size | 4-11 | 3-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Tibetan Eared-pheasant
Loud, bugling 'GA-GA-GA' calls; raucous and crow-like resonating across Tibetan alpine meadows. Flocks maintain raucous calling. Alarm is a rapid series of loud honking notes; wing beats loud.
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
Tibetan Eared-pheasant
Endemic to alpine scrub and rhododendron thickets on the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent Himalayas in southeastern Tibet and Bhutan, at 3,000–4,500 m.
Ahanta Spurfowl
Resident of dense lowland and coastal forest in West Africa from Ghana to Cameroon; also found in Bioko Island.
Conservation Status
Tibetan Eared-pheasant
Ahanta Spurfowl
How to Tell Them Apart
Tibetan Eared-pheasant
Primarily whitish-grey with dark brown wings and back; black cap; white ear tufts projecting laterally; dark graduated tail with white-tipped central feathers; red facial skin. Sexes very similar.
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
Tibetan Eared-pheasant
A large Phasianidae pheasant (~1.95 kg) inhabiting alpine shrublands and forest edges on the Tibetan Plateau's southeastern rim. Greyish plumage with distinctive ear tufts. Gregarious; flocks forage on roots, tubers, and seeds. Tolerates cold extremes. Least Concern within its restricted Himalayan range.
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.