Painted Francolin vs Himalayan Quail
Francolinus pictus compared with Ophrysia superciliosa
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Painted Francolin | Himalayan Quail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Francolinus pictus | Ophrysia superciliosa |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Critically Endangered |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 27.8 cm (10.9 in) | 17.6 cm (6.9 in) |
| Weight | 291.0 g (10.26 oz) | 189.7 g (6.69 oz) |
| Diet | Eats seeds, grain, invertebrates, and plant material; forages in dry grass and scrubby areas of … | Presumed to feed on seeds and invertebrates in Himalayan montane scrub; critically endangered, diet poorly … |
| Clutch Size | 4-8 | -- |
| 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 …
Himalayan Quail
Almost certainly extinct; last recorded 1876. Historical accounts describe 'plaintive whistled calls' from Himalayan hill grass. No recordings exist. Likely soft high whistle like other hill quail.
Geographic Range & Migration
Painted Francolin
Endemic to India; resident of open scrub, dry grassland, and farmland across most of peninsular India.
Himalayan Quail
Known only from 19th-century specimens from Uttarakhand, India (Mussoorie and Nainital); possibly extinct with no confirmed records since 1876.
Conservation Status
Painted Francolin
Himalayan Quail
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.
Himalayan Quail
Male dark grey with white spots and streaks; bold white supercilium; red bill. Female pale brownish-buff with dark brown streaking; pale supercilium. Last confirmed 1876; presumed possibly extinct; Uttarakhand hills.
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.
Himalayan Quail
One of the world's most elusive birds, this Phasianidae quail (~190 g) is last confirmed from the western Himalayas in 1876 and may be extinct. A medium-sized quail of steep grassy hill slopes with a distinctive red bill. Presumed to feed on grass seeds. Critically Endangered; possibly extinct.