Malay Peacock-Pheasant vs Altai Snowcock
Polyplectron malacense compared with Tetraogallus altaicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Malay Peacock-Pheasant | Altai Snowcock |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Polyplectron malacense | Tetraogallus altaicus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Endangered | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 38.5 cm (15.2 in) | 56.9 cm (22.4 in) |
| Weight | 564.0 g (19.89 oz) | 2770.0 g (97.71 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous; eats seeds, fallen fruits, invertebrates, and small animals on Malay Peninsula forest floor. | Feeds on alpine grasses, seeds, berries, and shoots; digs for roots and bulbs in Altai … |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 4-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Malay Peacock-Pheasant
Repeated thin 'kwi-kwi-kwi' whistle, slightly ascending; given during display with tail fanning. Peninsular Malaysia forest floor. Alarm is explosive 'kak'. Rarely vocal outside breeding display.
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
Malay Peacock-Pheasant
Resident of lowland and hill forest in peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, and southern Thailand below 1,000 m.
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
Malay Peacock-Pheasant
Altai Snowcock
How to Tell Them Apart
Malay Peacock-Pheasant
Male brown with large iridescent green and violet ocelli on wings and tail; yellow orbital skin; buff speckled face. Female brown with smaller ocelli and yellow orbital skin; both with …
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
Malay Peacock-Pheasant
A medium-small Phasianidae pheasant (~564 g) of lowland dipterocarp forests in the Thai-Malay Peninsula. Males sport blue-green ocelli on wings and tail, displayed fan-wise in courtship. Forages on fallen fruits, seeds, and invertebrates. Endangered due to extensive lowland forest loss across Sundaland.
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.