Swainson's Spurfowl vs Altai Snowcock

Pternistis swainsonii verglichen mit Tetraogallus altaicus

Side-by-Side Comparison

Merkmal Swainson's Spurfowl Altai Snowcock
Wissenschaftlicher Name Pternistis swainsonii Tetraogallus altaicus
Ordnung Galliformes Galliformes
Familie Phasianidae Phasianidae
Erhaltungsstatus Least Concern Least Concern
Länge
Flügelspannweite 37,3 cm (14.7 in) 56,9 cm (22.4 in)
Gewicht 591,25 g (20.86 oz) 2770,0 g (97.71 oz)
Ernährung Omnivorous; eats seeds, berries, invertebrates, and small animals in southern African open savanna. Feeds on alpine grasses, seeds, berries, and shoots; digs for roots and bulbs in Altai …
Gelegegröße 3-12 4-15
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Gemeinsame Lebensräume

Swainson's Spurfowl only

Altai Snowcock only

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Song & Call Comparison

Swainson's Spurfowl

Gesang

Very loud, penetrating crowing; harsh 'kweh-kweh-kweh' repeated up to 20 times; one of the loudest African spurfowl; carries across open farmland

Altai Snowcock

Gesang

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

Swainson's Spurfowl

Resident of open savanna, grassland, and bushveld from South Africa north to Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and southeastern Botswana.

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

Least Concern

Swainson's Spurfowl

Least Concern

Altai Snowcock

How to Tell Them Apart

Swainson's Spurfowl

Gefieder

Brown above with buff shaft streaks; white below with dense dark brown streaking; bare red facial skin extends down throat forming visible naked neck patch; red legs; dark bill. Sexes …

Altai Snowcock

Gefieder

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

Swainson's Spurfowl

A large Phasianidae spurfowl (~591 g) of open grassland, savanna, and farmland across southern Africa from Zambia to South Africa. Dark brown, streaked rufous-buff; red facial skin and bill. Often seen foraging in large groups in cultivated fields. Adapts to agricultural landscapes; common gamebird. 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.

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