Brown Eared-pheasant vs Ahanta Spurfowl
Crossoptilon mantchuricum compared with Pternistis ahantensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Brown Eared-pheasant | Ahanta Spurfowl |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Crossoptilon mantchuricum | Pternistis ahantensis |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 58.2 cm (22.9 in) | 34.6 cm (13.6 in) |
| Weight | 1900.0 g (67.02 oz) | 547.5 g (19.31 oz) |
| Diet | Digs in soil for bulbs, tubers, and invertebrates; also takes seeds, berries, and green vegetation. | Feeds on seeds, invertebrates, and plant matter in West African lowland forest and thicket. |
| Clutch Size | 4-14 | 3-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Brown Eared-pheasant
Raucous 'kak-kak-KAAK' calls; similar to White Eared-pheasant but slightly lower; endemic to NE China. Flock communication is loud and sustained. Alarm a series of sharp barks; wing beats very 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
Brown Eared-pheasant
Endemic to coniferous and mixed forest on mountains in Hebei and Shanxi provinces of northern China, at 1,400–2,900 m; critically restricted range.
Ahanta Spurfowl
Resident of dense lowland and coastal forest in West Africa from Ghana to Cameroon; also found in Bioko Island.
Conservation Status
Brown Eared-pheasant
Ahanta Spurfowl
How to Tell Them Apart
Brown Eared-pheasant
Warm chocolate-brown body with paler buff-white tail graduating to dark brown tips; black crown; white ear tufts; brownish flight feathers; scarlet facial skin; whitish lower rump contrasts with brown back.
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
Brown Eared-pheasant
A robust Phasianidae pheasant (~1.9 kg) endemic to montane broadleaf and mixed forests of northeastern China. Chocolate-brown with white ear tufts and a white rump. Forms flocks that forage on roots, seeds, and invertebrates. Historically reduced by hunting; conservation efforts have stabilised populations. 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.