Crested Partridge vs Whyte's Francolin
Rollulus rouloul compared with Scleroptila whytei
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Crested Partridge | Whyte's Francolin |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Rollulus rouloul | Scleroptila whytei |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) | 32.8 cm (12.9 in) |
| Weight | 250.5 g (8.84 oz) | 488.0 g (17.21 oz) |
| Diet | Forages on floor of Southeast Asian lowland rainforests for seeds, fallen fruits, and invertebrates. Scratches … | Forages for seeds, invertebrates, and plant material in miombo woodland and grassland of central Africa. |
| Clutch Size | 4-6 | 4-6 |
| 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.
Whyte's Francolin
Loud 'krak-KRAK-kra' calls from C-SE African miombo woodland; sharp and penetrating. Alarm is rapid cackle. Pairs call from termite mound or rock perches at dawn. Miombo woodland specialist.
Geographic Range & Migration
Crested Partridge
Resident in lowland and foothill rainforest of Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo. Found below 1,500 m.
Whyte's Francolin
Resident of miombo woodland, scrub, and rocky hillsides in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and adjacent Tanzania and Mozambique.
Conservation Status
Crested Partridge
Whyte's 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 …
Whyte's Francolin
Brown above with buff streaking; pale buff underparts with brown lateral streaking; white throat; rufous wing panel in flight; yellow-orange bill; red legs. Closely resembles Red-winged Francolin; central African range.
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.
Whyte's Francolin
A medium Phasianidae francolin (~488 g) of rocky hillsides, miombo woodland, and brachystegia scrub in Malawi, Zambia, and adjacent countries. Broadly similar to Shelley's Francolin but range largely allopatric. Feeds on seeds and invertebrates on the ground. Least Concern in its central-African highland range.