Gunnison Grouse vs Altai Snowcock
Centrocercus minimus verglichen mit Tetraogallus altaicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Merkmal | Gunnison Grouse | Altai Snowcock |
|---|---|---|
| Wissenschaftlicher Name | Centrocercus minimus | Tetraogallus altaicus |
| Ordnung | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Familie | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Erhaltungsstatus | Endangered | Least Concern |
| Länge | — | — |
| Flügelspannweite | 57,0 cm (22.4 in) | 56,9 cm (22.4 in) |
| Gewicht | 1575,0 g (55.56 oz) | 2770,0 g (97.71 oz) |
| Ernährung | Highly dependent on sagebrush for winter foliage; eats forbs and invertebrates in spring and summer. … | Feeds on alpine grasses, seeds, berries, and shoots; digs for roots and bulbs in Altai … |
| Gelegegröße | 6-10 | 4-15 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Gunnison Grouse
Lek display similar to Sage Grouse but faster and higher-pitched: 'swish-swish-ploop-ploop'; 9-note sequence vs. 7 in Sage Grouse. Plume rattle more pronounced. Alarm is harsh cacking.
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
Gunnison Grouse
Endemic to Gunnison Basin and adjacent areas of southwestern Colorado. Found in sagebrush habitat. Critically endangered.
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.
Erhaltungsstatus
Gunnison Grouse
Altai Snowcock
How to Tell Them Apart
Gunnison Grouse
Male similar to Sage Grouse but smaller; black belly, white breast, spiky tail with more white barring; prominent white neck filoplumes; yellow eye-combs; yellow-green breast air sacs used in display.
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
Gunnison Grouse
A large grouse (~1.6 kg) of family Phasianidae, closely related to Sage Grouse but smaller with longer filoplumes during lek display. Restricted to the Gunnison Basin of southwestern Colorado and a small area of Utah. Entirely dependent on intact sagebrush habitat. Endangered; one of North America's rarest birds with fewer than 5,000 individuals, threatened by habitat fragmentation and drought.
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.