Altai Snowcock vs Chestnut-throated Partridge
Tetraogallus altaicus compared with Tetraophasis obscurus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Altai Snowcock | Chestnut-throated Partridge |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Tetraogallus altaicus | Tetraophasis obscurus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 56.9 cm (22.4 in) | 41.2 cm (16.2 in) |
| Weight | 2770.0 g (97.71 oz) | 832.6666666666666 g (29.37 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on alpine grasses, seeds, berries, and shoots; digs for roots and bulbs in Altai … | Eats berries, seeds, leaves, moss, and invertebrates in Tibetan plateau scrub and rocky alpine meadows. … |
| Clutch Size | 4-15 | 3-5 |
| 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.
Chestnut-throated Partridge
Harsh, cackling 'kak-kak-kak-kerrr' calls from Sichuan subalpine scrub; alarm note a loud single 'KRAK'. Sings in accelerating bursts of clucking then pauses; territorial calls carry widely.
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.
Chestnut-throated Partridge
Endemic to the mountains of central Sichuan, China, at 2,500-4,000 m. Found in rhododendron and mixed coniferous-broadleaf forest.
Conservation Status
Altai Snowcock
Chestnut-throated Partridge
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 …
Chestnut-throated Partridge
Grey above finely vermiculated; throat and upper breast chestnut; lower breast grey; flanks chestnut with white shaft-streaks; bare red facial skin; tail chestnut. Chestnut throat contrasts with grey body.
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.
Chestnut-throated Partridge
A medium-large pheasant-partridge (~835 g) of family Phasianidae, with chestnut throat and mottled brown-grey plumage. Inhabits high-altitude coniferous and mixed forests in the mountains of southwestern China, including Sichuan and Yunnan, at 2,700–4,200 m. Forages for berries, seeds, and invertebrates. Least Concern; resident of remote high-altitude forests with limited human disturbance.