Altai Snowcock vs Cabot's Tragopan
Tetraogallus altaicus compared with Tragopan caboti
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Altai Snowcock | Cabot's Tragopan |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Tetraogallus altaicus | Tragopan caboti |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 56.9 cm (22.4 in) | 42.9 cm (16.9 in) |
| Weight | 2770.0 g (97.71 oz) | 1150.0 g (40.57 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on alpine grasses, seeds, berries, and shoots; digs for roots and bulbs in Altai … | Eats berries, seeds, leaves, and invertebrates in southern Chinese montane forests. Vulnerable; forages on ground … |
| Clutch Size | 4-15 | 2-6 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
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.
Cabot's Tragopan
Resonant, mournful 'waaak-waaak' wailing repeated steadily at dawn; slightly higher than Temminck's Tragopan. Alarm is an abrupt harsh bark. Contact calls are low, guttural 'kok' notes.
Geographic Range & Migration
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.
Cabot's Tragopan
Endemic to southeastern China in Fujian, Guangdong, Hunan, and Zhejiang at 600-1,800 m. Found in subtropical montane forest. Vulnerable.
Conservation Status
Altai Snowcock
Cabot's Tragopan
How to Tell Them Apart
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 …
Cabot's Tragopan
Male is orange-buff above, pale buff below with dark grey spotting; bare orange and blue facial skin; inflatable bib orange-and-blue. Female is brown with pale buff spotting; the palest and …
About These Birds
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.
Cabot's Tragopan
A large pheasant (~1.15 kg) of family Phasianidae, males with buff-orange plumage spotted with white, and an orange lappet. Endemic to montane subtropical forests in southeastern China (Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Zhejiang) at 600–1,700 m. Feeds on berries, leaves, and seeds. Vulnerable; restricted range heavily impacted by deforestation and fragmentation of Chinese subtropical forests.