Ahanta Spurfowl vs Black-billed Capercaillie
Pternistis ahantensis compared with Tetrao urogalloides
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Ahanta Spurfowl | Black-billed Capercaillie |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pternistis ahantensis | Tetrao urogalloides |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 34.6 cm (13.6 in) | 68.2 cm (26.9 in) |
| Weight | 547.5 g (19.31 oz) | 2957.5 g (104.32 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on seeds, invertebrates, and plant matter in West African lowland forest and thicket. | Subsists mainly on larch needles in winter; takes berries, buds, and insects during the warmer … |
| Clutch Size | 3-12 | 5-10 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Ahanta Spurfowl
Loud, staccato 'krak-krak-KRAAK' from W African forest edge; slightly higher than larger spurfowl. Alarm is rapid explosive cackling. Pairs call in loose synchrony at dawn in secondary growth.
Black-billed Capercaillie
Similar to Western Capercaillie but generally higher-pitched; ticking phase faster, grinding phase shorter. Siberian larch forest species. Alarm is a loud bark; females give soft clucking brood calls.
Geographic Range & Migration
Ahanta Spurfowl
Resident of dense lowland and coastal forest in West Africa from Ghana to Cameroon; also found in Bioko Island.
Black-billed Capercaillie
Resident of coniferous taiga in eastern Russia from the Lena River to the Pacific coast, Kamchatka, and northeastern China.
Conservation Status
Ahanta Spurfowl
Black-billed Capercaillie
How to Tell Them Apart
Ahanta Spurfowl
Dark brown above with pale buff shaft streaks; whitish below with dark brown streaking; red bill; red orbital skin; yellow legs. Sexes similar; closely resembles Double-spurred Spurfowl; West African forests.
Black-billed Capercaillie
Male uniformly glossy blue-black with slight greenish sheen on breast; smaller white wing spots than Western Capercaillie; black bill. Female barred rufous-buff and dark brown, paler below than congener.
About These Birds
Ahanta Spurfowl
A medium Phasianidae spurfowl (~548 g) of lowland and secondary forest edges in West Africa from Ivory Coast to Nigeria. Dark brown streaked white; red orbital skin. Forages on the ground in pairs or small groups for seeds, berries, and invertebrates. Tolerates forest fragments; Least Concern.
Black-billed Capercaillie
A very large Phasianidae grouse (~2.96 kg) of Siberian larch and pine forests east of the Yenisei River. Closely related to the Western Capercaillie but distinguished by an all-black bill. Lekking males fan tail feathers dramatically. Feeds on needles and buds; Least Concern.