Species:

Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa)

Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii)

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Length (cm):
32-34
33-38
Wingspan (cm):
47-50
72-80
Weight (gram):
400-550
92-133
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:

Error loading Flash for sound!
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:

Differs from Common and Arctic Tern by; noticably shorter wings, longer streamers, much paler grey upperparts, pure white underparts (faint rosy wash not very conspicuous), black bill (red base in breeding birds), dark outer primaries and no dark edge to inner primaries. Amount of red in bill increases as breeding season progresses, but also varies geographically. Wingbeats shallower and much quicker than in Common and Arctic Tern. Fishes with characteristic diagonal dives. Despite the long streamers, the birds appear short-tailed in flight, but head and bill are long and slender. The pale plumage, dark bill and giss recalls a small Sandwich Tern. Adult winter plumage with all dark bill and white forehead. Juveniles resembles juvenile Sandwich Terns, with more complete dark cap than Arctic and Common, and much more contrasting markings on back (especially to wings).

Sound:

Extremely harsh calls. Like mix of Caspian and Arctic Tern. Very hard and raspy "kreeeet", harder and higher pitched than Caspian Tern, but equally harsh. Other calls include more Arctic/Common tern-like short "kek", and similar.

Contact call:

Error loading Flash for sound!
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

CC

CC-photo:USFWS/Southeast, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Werner Witte, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Anita363, Licence,Link.

CC-photo:Mike Prince, Licence,Link.

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