Blood Pheasant vs Altai Snowcock
Ithaginis cruentus compared with Tetraogallus altaicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Blood Pheasant | Altai Snowcock |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ithaginis cruentus | Tetraogallus altaicus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 39.1 cm (15.4 in) | 56.9 cm (22.4 in) |
| Weight | 535.8333333333334 g (18.90 oz) | 2770.0 g (97.71 oz) |
| Diet | Eats seeds, berries, moss, ferns, and invertebrates in Himalayan and Central Asian coniferous forests. Feeds … | Feeds on alpine grasses, seeds, berries, and shoots; digs for roots and bulbs in Altai … |
| Clutch Size | 2-7 | 4-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Blood Pheasant
Sharp, nasal 'kip-kip-kip' contact calls; alarm is a loud, harsh chattering rattle audible across alpine rhododendron scrub. Song is a series of thin, whistled 'tsee' notes at dawn.
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
Blood Pheasant
Resident in the Himalayas and mountains of western China from Pakistan east to Yunnan at 2,400-4,500 m. Found in rhododendron and coniferous forest.
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
Blood Pheasant
Altai Snowcock
How to Tell Them Apart
Blood Pheasant
Male has grey and black streaked upperparts; red forehead, red streaks on breast and flanks; red-and-yellow legs; bare red facial skin. Female is rusty-brown streaked darker with no red; markedly …
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
Blood Pheasant
A medium-sized pheasant (~535 g) of family Phasianidae, males with blood-red streaked plumage on green and grey tones. Inhabits dense subalpine forests and rhododendron scrub in the Himalayas from Nepal to southwestern China at 2,800–4,500 m elevation. Feeds on mosses, ferns, berries, and seeds. Least Concern; the sole member of genus Ithaginis with a broad Himalayan distribution.
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.