Painted Francolin vs Swinhoe's Pheasant
Francolinus pictus compared with Lophura swinhoii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Painted Francolin | Swinhoe's Pheasant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Francolinus pictus | Lophura swinhoii |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 27.8 cm (10.9 in) | 47.6 cm (18.7 in) |
| Weight | 291.0 g (10.26 oz) | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) |
| Diet | Eats seeds, grain, invertebrates, and plant material; forages in dry grass and scrubby areas of … | Omnivorous; eats seeds, berries, invertebrates, and small animals on Taiwan mountain forest floors. |
| Clutch Size | 4-8 | 3-8 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Painted Francolin
Loud, insistent 'ka-TURR-ka' calls from Indian scrub; similar to Black Francolin but slightly higher and less grating. Alarm is rapid cackling cackle. Males call from termite mound or rock at …
Swinhoe's Pheasant
Sharp, metallic 'kak-KAK' crows from Taiwan mountain forest; emphatic and carrying. Alarm is a rapid harsh cackling. Wing-drumming display audible at dawn. Contact calls are soft low clucks.
Geographic Range & Migration
Painted Francolin
Endemic to India; resident of open scrub, dry grassland, and farmland across most of peninsular India.
Swinhoe's Pheasant
Endemic to Taiwan; resident of dense broadleaf and mixed montane forest between 300 and 2,300 m elevation.
Conservation Status
Painted Francolin
Swinhoe's Pheasant
How to Tell Them Apart
Painted Francolin
Richly patterned; black above with large white spots; rufous-orange face and throat; white-spotted black flanks; rufous-chestnut underparts with black shaft streaks. Female lacks rufous on face; duller below.
Swinhoe's Pheasant
Male dark iridescent blue with white crest; white central tail feathers contrasting with dark body; white scapular patch; red facial wattle. Female reddish-brown with white shaft streaks and black scaling.
About These Birds
Painted Francolin
A small Phasianidae francolin (~291 g) of rocky hillsides, scrub, and dry grassland across peninsular India and Sri Lanka. Both sexes are intricately spotted and streaked in rufous and white. Shy; detected by resonant calls. Feeds on seeds and invertebrates on the ground. Least Concern; common locally.
Swinhoe's Pheasant
A beautiful Phasianidae pheasant (~1.1 kg) endemic to broadleaved evergreen forests of Taiwan's central mountains. Males are deep blue with a white back patch and crimson facial skin. Feeds on fallen fruits, seeds, and invertebrates on the forest floor. Near Threatened from habitat fragmentation.