Dusky Grouse vs Altai Snowcock
Dendragapus obscurus compared with Tetraogallus altaicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Dusky Grouse | Altai Snowcock |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dendragapus obscurus | Tetraogallus altaicus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 45.3 cm (17.8 in) | 56.9 cm (22.4 in) |
| Weight | 1118.0 g (39.44 oz) | 2770.0 g (97.71 oz) |
| Diet | Eats conifer needles, especially fir and pine, in winter; berries, leaves, and invertebrates in summer. … | Feeds on alpine grasses, seeds, berries, and shoots; digs for roots and bulbs in Altai … |
| Clutch Size | 4-10 | 4-15 |
| 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.
Altai Snowcock
Loud, ringing whistled 'whi-WHEEE' echoing across Altai alpine slopes; deeper than Tibetan Snowcock due to larger size. Alarm is rapid barking. Calls at dawn from rocky ridgelines.
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.
Altai Snowcock
Resident of alpine rocky slopes and grassy hillsides in the Altai and Sayan mountains of Russia, Kazakhstan, and western Mongolia, at 2,000–4,000 m.
Conservation Status
Dusky Grouse
Altai Snowcock
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.
Altai Snowcock
Largest snowcock; grey-brown upperparts with buff streaks; white underparts with grey breast; rufous necklace streaks on lower neck; white outer tail in flight; whitish face with dark ear patch. Sexes …
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.
Altai Snowcock
The largest snowcock (~2.77 kg), family Phasianidae, of alpine scree and subalpine meadows in the Altai and Tian Shan ranges of Central Asia. Heavily built, grey and white with rusty-brown markings. Feeds on roots, bulbs, and alpine plants. Forms small flocks outside breeding season. Least Concern.