Double-spurred Spurfowl vs African Blue Quail
Pternistis bicalcaratus compared with Synoicus adansonii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Double-spurred Spurfowl | African Blue Quail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pternistis bicalcaratus | Synoicus adansonii |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 34.1 cm (13.4 in) | 14.9 cm (5.9 in) |
| Weight | 444.0 g (15.66 oz) | 41.666666666666664 g (1.47 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on seeds, berries, invertebrates, and plant material in West African savanna and scrub. | Feeds on small grass seeds, invertebrates, and plant matter in African tropical grassland and wetland … |
| Clutch Size | 4-8 | 3-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Double-spurred Spurfowl only
None
African Blue Quail only
Song & Call Comparison
Double-spurred Spurfowl
Strident crowing series of raspy 'ka-wee' notes; noisy duets at dawn; alarm call a sharp clucking 'kek-kek-kek'
African Blue Quail
High, thin 'wee-wee-wee-wee' whistle in series; tiny, cryptic African grassland quail. Alarm is a sharp 'pip'. Very quiet overall; contact clucks barely audible. Calls at dawn and dusk.
Geographic Range & Migration
Double-spurred Spurfowl
Resident of open woodland, forest edge, and moist savanna in West Africa from Senegal and Gambia east to Togo and Benin.
African Blue Quail
Nomadic resident of open grassland, wetland edge, and savanna across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia and south to Angola.
Conservation Status
Double-spurred Spurfowl
African Blue Quail
How to Tell Them Apart
Double-spurred Spurfowl
Brown above with pale buff shaft streaks; whitish below with dark brown streaking; red bill; red orbital skin; yellow legs; male with two prominent tarsal spurs diagnostic. West African species; …
African Blue Quail
Male dark slaty-blue overall with chestnut flanks; white face markings with black border; similar to Asian Blue Quail. Female brown with buff streaking; pale underparts. African counterpart of Asian Blue …
About These Birds
Double-spurred Spurfowl
A medium Phasianidae spurfowl (~444 g) of West African forests and forest edges from Senegambia to Ghana. Named for the two spurs on each leg. Brown and white-streaked; red facial skin. Inhabits secondary growth and woodland-grassland margins. Feeds on seeds and invertebrates; forages in small groups. Least Concern.
African Blue Quail
A tiny Phasianidae quail (~42 g) of tall grasses and moist savanna across sub-Saharan Africa. Males have a slaty-blue face and rusty-buff flanks; one of Africa's smallest birds. Highly secretive; rarely flushed. Feeds on tiny grass seeds and invertebrates. Migratory or nomadic following rains. Least Concern.