Banded Quail vs Stone Partridge
Philortyx fasciatus compared with Ptilopachus petrosus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Banded Quail | Stone Partridge |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Philortyx fasciatus | Ptilopachus petrosus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Odontophoridae | Odontophoridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 19.7 cm (7.8 in) | 23.4 cm (9.2 in) |
| Weight | 127.25 g (4.49 oz) | 192.5 g (6.79 oz) |
| Diet | Eats seeds and small invertebrates in Mexican thorn scrub and dry grassland. Forages on ground … | Forages on rocky hillsides in West and Central Africa for seeds, invertebrates, and small plant … |
| Clutch Size | 3-7 | 4-6 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Banded Quail
High-pitched, whistled 'wit-wit-weee' repeated persistently from dense scrub. Covey contact calls are soft, rapid clucks; alarm produces sharp explosive chips.
Stone Partridge
Emits a clear, whistled peet-peet call and soft clucking series. The repeated, clear whistle is far-carrying and melodious for a partridge; heard on West African rocky outcrops.
Geographic Range & Migration
Banded Quail
Endemic to the Pacific slope of Mexico from Jalisco south to Guerrero and Oaxaca. Found in dry forest and thorn scrub.
Stone Partridge
Resident in rocky hillsides and savanna of West Africa from Senegal east to Cameroon and Chad. Found in rocky terrain with grass and bushes.
Conservation Status
Banded Quail
Stone Partridge
How to Tell Them Apart
Banded Quail
Heavily barred black and buff throughout, including crown; white supercilium; throat whitish; short rounded crest; belly barred buff and black; sexes similar. Distinctive fine barring on entire body.
Stone Partridge
Dark brown above, finely vermiculated with buff; rufous tail often cocked; underparts pale buff-brown with dark scaling; bare red eye-ring; short rounded wings; sexes similar.
About These Birds
Banded Quail
A small New World quail (~125 g) of family Odontophoridae, with bold horizontal brown-and-white banding across the breast and flanks. Endemic to semi-arid scrublands, grasslands, and dry forests of the Balsas Depression in central Mexico. Forages in groups on the ground for seeds and invertebrates. Least Concern; a monotypic genus restricted to Mexico's western interior.
Stone Partridge
A small partridge (~190 g) of family Odontophoridae, with brown-barred plumage and a short rounded tail often cocked upright. Inhabits rocky hillsides, inselbergs, and stony savanna in sub-Saharan West and Central Africa. Forages for seeds and insects on the ground. Least Concern; an unusual African member of the New World quail family with a predominantly terrestrial lifestyle.