Grey Partridge vs Altai Snowcock
Perdix perdix compared with Tetraogallus altaicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Grey Partridge | Altai Snowcock |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Perdix perdix | Tetraogallus altaicus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 30.2 cm (11.9 in) | 56.9 cm (22.4 in) |
| Weight | 402.0 g (14.18 oz) | 2770.0 g (97.71 oz) |
| Diet | Eats seeds, leaves, and shoots of grasses and cereals; chicks rely heavily on insects and … | Feeds on alpine grasses, seeds, berries, and shoots; digs for roots and bulbs in Altai … |
| Clutch Size | 2-24 | 4-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Grey Partridge
Harsh, grating 'kier-rr-ik' call; rusty hinge-like quality audible across farmland. Alarm is a cackling 'kee-kee-kee' when flushed. Male territorial call repeated at dusk and dawn across fields.
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
Grey Partridge
Native to farmland, hedgerows, and open grassland from Britain east through Europe to Kazakhstan; widely introduced in North America and elsewhere.
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
Grey Partridge
Altai Snowcock
How to Tell Them Apart
Grey Partridge
Grey-brown upperparts intricately vermiculated; orange-buff face and throat; grey breast; conspicuous dark chestnut horseshoe mark on lower breast of male; flanks barred chestnut and white. Sexes similar.
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
Grey Partridge
A familiar Phasianidae partridge (~402 g) of European farmland and steppe, recognizable by an orange face and chestnut horseshoe patch on the belly of males. Lives in family coveys; feeds on seeds, cereal grain, and invertebrates. Declining in intensively farmed areas; Least Concern overall.
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.