Dusky Grouse vs Ahanta Spurfowl
Dendragapus obscurus compared with Pternistis ahantensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Dusky Grouse | Ahanta Spurfowl |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dendragapus obscurus | Pternistis ahantensis |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 45.3 cm (17.8 in) | 34.6 cm (13.6 in) |
| Weight | 1118.0 g (39.44 oz) | 547.5 g (19.31 oz) |
| Diet | Eats conifer needles, especially fir and pine, in winter; berries, leaves, and invertebrates in summer. … | Feeds on seeds, invertebrates, and plant matter in West African lowland forest and thicket. |
| Clutch Size | 4-10 | 3-12 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Dusky Grouse
Low, deep hooting 'hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo' by males from conifer branches; ventriloquial and owl-like. Alarm is a sharp series of 'kuk-kuk' clucks. Female produces soft clucking contact notes.
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
Dusky Grouse
Resident in the Rocky Mountains and coastal ranges of western North America from British Columbia south to New Mexico at 1,000-3,500 m.
Ahanta Spurfowl
Resident of dense lowland and coastal forest in West Africa from Ghana to Cameroon; also found in Bioko Island.
Conservation Status
Dusky Grouse
Ahanta Spurfowl
How to Tell Them Apart
Dusky Grouse
Male dark greyish-brown overall; pale grey tail with broad grey terminal band; yellow-orange eye-comb; bare yellow-purple neck air sacs visible in display. Female mottled brown and buff with darker barring.
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
Dusky Grouse
A large grouse (~1.1 kg) of family Phasianidae, males dark grey with yellow-orange eyecomb and inflatable violet neck sacs. Inhabits montane coniferous forests in the Rocky Mountains from British Columbia to New Mexico. Feeds on conifer needles in winter, berries and insects in summer. Exhibits elevational migration. Least Concern; common in western North American mountain forests.
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.