Mountain Peacock-Pheasant vs Altai Snowcock
Polyplectron inopinatum compared with Tetraogallus altaicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mountain Peacock-Pheasant | Altai Snowcock |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Polyplectron inopinatum | Tetraogallus altaicus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 37.2 cm (14.6 in) | 56.9 cm (22.4 in) |
| Weight | 477.0 g (16.83 oz) | 2770.0 g (97.71 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on seeds, fruits, and invertebrates in Malaysian montane forest; forages by scratching leaf litter. | Feeds on alpine grasses, seeds, berries, and shoots; digs for roots and bulbs in Altai … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 4-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Mountain Peacock-Pheasant
Clear, slightly plaintive 'kwee-oo' whistle from Malay Peninsula cloud forest; melodic for a peacock-pheasant. Male calls during display. Alarm is an abrupt 'kak'. Contact is quiet clucking.
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
Mountain Peacock-Pheasant
Endemic to the Malay Peninsula (Cameron Highlands area); resident of montane forest above 900 m; very poorly known.
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
Mountain Peacock-Pheasant
Altai Snowcock
How to Tell Them Apart
Mountain Peacock-Pheasant
Dark brown with white shaft streaking; circular iridescent greenish ocelli on wing coverts and tail; pinkish-red orbital skin; buff speckled face. Female similar with smaller ocelli; montane Malayan endemic.
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
Mountain Peacock-Pheasant
A medium-small Phasianidae pheasant (~477 g) restricted to montane mossy and oak forests above 1,000 m in the Malay Peninsula. Males are brown with sparse violet ocelli; plumage less ornamented than lowland relatives. Sedentary and secretive. Near Threatened from montane forest degradation.
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.