Crested Partridge vs Elgon Francolin
Rollulus rouloul compared with Scleroptila elgonensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Crested Partridge | Elgon Francolin |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Rollulus rouloul | Scleroptila elgonensis |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) | 34.4 cm (13.5 in) |
| Weight | 250.5 g (8.84 oz) | 478.0 g (16.86 oz) |
| Diet | Forages on floor of Southeast Asian lowland rainforests for seeds, fallen fruits, and invertebrates. Scratches … | Feeds on seeds and invertebrates in montane grassland and heathland of East African highlands. |
| Clutch Size | 4-6 | 5 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Crested Partridge
High-pitched, thin whistled 'seee' repeated persistently; metallic and insect-like. Males call from forest floor, rarely seen. Alarm is an explosive low grunt followed by rapid wing beats.
Elgon Francolin
Loud, strident 'krak-KRAK-krak' calls from Mount Elgon moorland; ringing and emphatic. Mt Elgon and Ugandan highlands endemic. Alarm is explosive cackling cackle. Pairs call antiphonally at dawn.
Geographic Range & Migration
Crested Partridge
Resident in lowland and foothill rainforest of Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo. Found below 1,500 m.
Elgon Francolin
Resident of Afroalpine moorland on Mount Elgon (Kenya/Uganda border), above 3,000 m; very restricted range.
Conservation Status
Crested Partridge
Elgon Francolin
How to Tell Them Apart
Crested Partridge
Male is dark glossy green-black with vivid red-crimson erectile crest; red orbital skin; chestnut wings. Female is entirely bright emerald green with brown wings, red legs, and grey head; among …
Elgon Francolin
Brown above with buff shaft streaks and dark spotting; pale buff underparts with dark brown streaking; white throat; rufous wing flash; yellow bill; red legs in male, yellow in female; …
About These Birds
Crested Partridge
A small partridge (~250 g) of family Phasianidae, males with vivid crimson crest and iridescent green plumage. Found in lowland tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia including Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo. Forages on the forest floor for fallen seeds, fruits, and invertebrates. Vulnerable; dependent on primary lowland forest, heavily impacted by deforestation and palm oil expansion.
Elgon Francolin
A medium Phasianidae francolin (~478 g) of highland grassland and heathland on the slopes of Mount Elgon and neighbouring mountains in Uganda and Kenya. Typically found above 2,400 m. Brown-streaked and well camouflaged. Feeds on seeds and invertebrates; occurs in pairs or small groups. Least Concern.