Annamite Crested Argus vs African Blue Quail
Rheinardia ocellata compared with Synoicus adansonii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Annamite Crested Argus | African Blue Quail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Rheinardia ocellata | Synoicus adansonii |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Critically Endangered | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 67.1 cm (26.4 in) | 14.9 cm (5.9 in) |
| Weight | 1500.0 g (52.91 oz) | 41.666666666666664 g (1.47 oz) |
| Diet | Forages on leaf litter for fallen fruits, seeds, invertebrates, and small animals; uses feet to … | Feeds on small grass seeds, invertebrates, and plant matter in African tropical grassland and wetland … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 3-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Annamite Crested Argus only
None
African Blue Quail only
Song & Call Comparison
Annamite Crested Argus
Loud, mournful 'kow-WEE' whistling cries from Vietnam rainforest floor; haunting and fox-like. Males call from log or elevated perch. Alarm is explosive cackle. One of world's rarest galliform voices.
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
Annamite Crested Argus
Resident of dense montane forest in the Annamite Mountains of Laos and Vietnam, above 400 m; extremely secretive.
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
Annamite Crested Argus
African Blue Quail
How to Tell Them Apart
Annamite Crested Argus
Brown and buff intricately patterned with ocelli; long broad graduated tail with dark ocellated spots; white-streaked dark crest; bare blue facial skin. Sexes similar but male with much longer tail.
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
Annamite Crested Argus
One of the most spectacular Phasianidae birds (~1.5 kg), endemic to evergreen forests of Vietnam and Laos. Males possess extraordinary elongated brown-spotted tail feathers. Performs a solitary lekking display on cleared forest arenas. Feeds on fallen fruits and invertebrates. Critically Endangered from deforestation.
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.