Black Partridge vs Altai Snowcock
Melanoperdix niger compared with Tetraogallus altaicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black Partridge | Altai Snowcock |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Melanoperdix niger | Tetraogallus altaicus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 26.8 cm (10.6 in) | 56.9 cm (22.4 in) |
| Weight | 280.5 g (9.89 oz) | 2770.0 g (97.71 oz) |
| Diet | Eats seeds, invertebrates, and small fruits on floor of Bornean and Sumatran lowland rainforests. Scratches … | Feeds on alpine grasses, seeds, berries, and shoots; digs for roots and bulbs in Altai … |
| Clutch Size | 2-6 | 4-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Black Partridge
Infrequently recorded; gives a series of sharp, nasal 'krek' calls from peat swamp forest floor. Alarm is a low explosive cluck; poorly documented due to rarity and secretive habits.
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
Black Partridge
Resident in lowland and montane forest of the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo up to 1,500 m. Found in primary 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
Black Partridge
Altai Snowcock
How to Tell Them Apart
Black Partridge
Strongly dimorphic: male is entirely glossy jet black; female is rich rufous-chestnut with dark barring on wings and finely scaled underparts. Extreme sexual dimorphism with no overlap in colour.
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
Black Partridge
A small sexually dimorphic partridge (~280 g) of family Phasianidae, males entirely black and females rufous-brown. Endemic to lowland rainforests of the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. Highly secretive, foraging on the forest floor for seeds and invertebrates in dense undergrowth. Vulnerable; declining with rapid lowland deforestation and conversion to palm oil plantations.
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.