Species:

Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa)

Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta)

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Length (cm):
32-34
34-36
Wingspan (cm):
47-50
54-60
Weight (gram):
400-550
350-600
Size group:
Crow-size
Crow-size
Main Texts:
Appearance:

Resembles Rock Partridge, Chukar and Barbary Partridge, but these can generally be excluded due to little overlap in range. May be confused with Partridge in flight, but note evenly coloured upperparts, larger size and white supercilium. Differs from all other Alectoris by the combination of broad, speckled collar and marked, black eyestripe. The white throat ends much higher than in congeners, and the upperparts are darker and more brownish. The barring on the flanks is less marked, and seems evenly coloured at a distance.

Sound:

Song very similar to Chukar and Rock Partridge. Differs from the latter by fuller and deeper tone and timbre, and more even rhythms. Harder to tell from Chukar, but note Red-legged's tendency to end phrases with a di- or trisyllabic "ka-kaaa" or "ka-ka-kaaa" with a drawn and accented last note. Similar rhythm may be heard in Chukar, but then as a main rhythmic motif. Other calls include hoarse, screeching short utterances.

Song:

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See sound file


Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-sound:Jordi Calvet, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Slightly smaller and less heavy than Willow Ptarmigan. Overall greyer plumage, and a more delicate bill. Male summer with grey upperparts and white underparts. Female summer with browner upperparts than male. Both sexes completely white in winter plumage, except for black lores in males. Wings white and tail feathers black in all plumages in both sexes.

Sound:

Call of male a very distinct "rrrrrrr", being a rattling rapid pulse of clicks, like running a stick along a picket fence. Female has similar sounds, but is higher pitched and not so coarse as male.

Flushed:

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See sound file


Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-photo:fveronesi1, Licence,Link,

CC-sound:Peter Boesman, Licence,Link.

Similar species (image):
Similar species (sound):
Silhouette Group:
Grouse-like
Silhouette
Grouse-like
Silhouette
Several different images of the species
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImage
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImage
Several different sounds of the species
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file