Black-billed Capercaillie vs Altai Snowcock
Tetrao urogalloides compared with Tetraogallus altaicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black-billed Capercaillie | Altai Snowcock |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Tetrao urogalloides | Tetraogallus altaicus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 68.2 cm (26.9 in) | 56.9 cm (22.4 in) |
| Weight | 2957.5 g (104.32 oz) | 2770.0 g (97.71 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Feeds on alpine grasses, seeds, berries, and shoots; digs for roots and bulbs in Altai … |
| Clutch Size | 5-10 | 4-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
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.
Altai Snowcock
Loud, ringing whistled 'whi-WHEEE' echoing across Altai alpine slopes; deeper than Tibetan Snowcock due to larger size. Alarm is rapid barking. Calls at dawn from rocky ridgelines.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black-billed Capercaillie
Altai Snowcock
Resident of alpine rocky slopes and grassy hillsides in the Altai and Sayan mountains of Russia, Kazakhstan, and western Mongolia, at 2,000–4,000 m.
Conservation Status
Black-billed Capercaillie
Altai Snowcock
How to Tell Them Apart
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.
Altai Snowcock
Largest snowcock; grey-brown upperparts with buff streaks; white underparts with grey breast; rufous necklace streaks on lower neck; white outer tail in flight; whitish face with dark ear patch. Sexes …
About These Birds
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.
Altai Snowcock
The largest snowcock (~2.77 kg), family Phasianidae, of alpine scree and subalpine meadows in the Altai and Tian Shan ranges of Central Asia. Heavily built, grey and white with rusty-brown markings. Feeds on roots, bulbs, and alpine plants. Forms small flocks outside breeding season. Least Concern.