Siamese Fireback vs Altai Snowcock
Lophura diardi compared with Tetraogallus altaicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Siamese Fireback | Altai Snowcock |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Lophura diardi | Tetraogallus altaicus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 46.0 cm (18.1 in) | 56.9 cm (22.4 in) |
| Weight | 1041.6666666666667 g (36.74 oz) | 2770.0 g (97.71 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous; eats seeds, fruits, invertebrates, and small vertebrates in SE Asian lowland and foothill forests. | Feeds on alpine grasses, seeds, berries, and shoots; digs for roots and bulbs in Altai … |
| Clutch Size | 4-8 | 4-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Siamese Fireback
Loud 'kraw-KRAW' crowing calls; SE Asian species with nasal, penetrating quality. Alarm is rapid cackle. Males wing-drum in breeding season. Contact calls are guttural low clucks.
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
Siamese Fireback
Resident of lowland and foothill forest in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam; tolerates secondary 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
Siamese Fireback
Altai Snowcock
How to Tell Them Apart
Siamese Fireback
Male grey-black with intricate white vermiculations on upperparts; crimson lower back; black crest; red facial skin. Female dark brown with black and white shaft streaks; white-tipped tail feathers.
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
Siamese Fireback
National bird of Thailand, this Phasianidae pheasant (~1.04 kg) inhabits lowland and foothill forests across Indochina. Males sport grey-laced plumage, a red facial mask, and a yellow-orange rump. Forages on fruits, seeds, and invertebrates. Tolerates secondary forest; currently Least Concern.
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.