Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Ordo: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Cladus: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Euavialae
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Pangalloanserae
Cladus: Galloanseres
Ordo: Galliformes
Familia: Phasianidae
Subfamilia: Perdicinae
Genus: Tetraogallus
Species: T. altaicus - T. caspius - T. caucasicus - T. himalayensis - T. tibetanus
Name
Tetraogallus J.E. Gray, 1832
References
Illustrations of Indian zoology 2 pt11 pl.46
Vernacular names
日本語: セッケイ属
The snowcocks or snowfowl are a group of bird species in the genus Tetraogallus of the pheasant family, Phasianidae. They are ground-nesting birds that breed in the mountain ranges of southern Eurasia from the Caucasus to the Himalayas and western China. Some of the species have been introduced into the United States. Snowcocks feed mainly on plant material.
Characteristics
Snowcocks are bulky, long-necked, long-bodied partridge-like birds. Males and females are generally similar in appearance but females tend to be slightly smaller and rather duller in colouration than males. They are generally grey with varying amounts of white, black and brown according to species and with distinctive white under tail-coverts. Their plumage is thick with a downy base to the feathers which helps them to withstand severe winter temperatures that may fall to −40 °C (−40 °F). The colour of juvenile snowcocks is similar to the colour of the females and the young are not fully grown until their second year of life.[1]
Snowcocks are heavy birds and are unable to fly far with flapping flight. Instead they run to a high point, launch themselves into the air and glide, gradually losing altitude. They are to be found on open slopes above the tree line where they feed on leaves, shoots, roots, fruits, berries and insects.[1]
Distribution
The snowcocks are each endemic to different mountain ranges in Asia where they are normally found on open slopes above the tree line.[1] Only in the case of the Himalayan snowcock and the Tibetan snowcock do their ranges overlap.[1]
The Caucasian snowcock occurs in the Caucasus Mountains in Azerbaijan, Georgia and the Russian Federation. It has been introduced into the United States.[2] The Caspian snowcock is native to eastern Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq and Georgia and has been introduced into the United States.[3] The Tibetan snowcock is native to mountain ranges in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Tajikistan and China.[4] The Himalayan snowcock occurs in mountainous areas of Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Nepal, India and China and has been introduced into the United States.[5] The Altai snowcock is endemic to high altitudes in Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China and the Russian Federation.[6]
Species
The five species within the genus along with subspecies are:[7]
| Image | Name | Common name | Sub species | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Tetraogallus tibetanus Gould, 1854 | Tibetan snowcock |
|
the Western Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau |
 |
Tetraogallus altaicus (Gebler, 1836) | Altai snowcock |
|
China, Kazakhstan and Russia. |
 |
Tetraogallus caucasicus (Pallas, 1811) | Caucasian snowcock | Caucasus Mountains | |
 |
Tetraogallus caspius (Gmelin, 1784) | Caspian snowcock, |
|
eastern Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and throughout the Alborz Mountains of Northern Iran. |
 |
Tetraogallus himalayensis Gray, 1843 | Himalayan snowcock |
|
Central and South Asia above the treeline and near the snowline. In the Himalayas |
References
Madge, Steve; McGowan, J. K.; Kirwan, Guy M. (2002). Pheasants, Partridges and Grouse: A Guide to the Pheasants, Partridges, Quails, Grouse, Guineafowl, Buttonquails and Sandgrouse of the World. A. C. Black. pp. 174–180. ISBN 9780713639667.
BirdLife International (2017). "Tetraogallus caucasicus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T22678661A111767442. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22678661A111767442.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
BirdLife International (2016). "Tetraogallus caspius". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22678664A85854649. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22678664A85854649.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
BirdLife International (2016). "Tetraogallus tibetanus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22678667A92783560. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22678667A92783560.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
BirdLife International (2018). "Tetraogallus himalayensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22678673A132049858. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22678673A132049858.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
BirdLife International (2016). "Tetraogallus altaicus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22678670A92783743. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22678670A92783743.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
Peters, JL (1934). Check-list of birds of the world. Vol. 2. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. pp. 60–63.
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