Species:

Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa)

Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)

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Length (cm):
32-34
33-35
Wingspan (cm):
47-50
75-85
Weight (gram):
400-550
95-120
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:

Differs from Common Tern in shorter head, and blood-red bill. Legs shorter, but tail streamers longer (extends well past wings in sitting birds). Underparts of primaries with sharply bordered dark trailing edge (diffusely bordered in Common Tern). Both primaries and secondaries transparent to sunlight. Crest less apparent than in Common Tern and underside greyer. Cheeks white just below the black cap, often in contrast to grey lower cheeks. Juveniles lacks buff coloured back.

Sound:

Similar to Common Tern but higher pitched. Typical call a series of high pitched "tip-tip-tip", and longer, ringing, high-pitched "kriiiiii" calls. The drawn out "kree-aaahh" call falls less distinctly in pitch than Common Tern.

Calls:

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

Featherbase

CC

CC-sound:Stein Ø. Nilsen, Licence,Link.

Similar species (image):
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
Error loading Flash for sound!
See sound file