Wood quail

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Wood quail
Odontophorus leucolaemusCJ-AvesP74A.jpg
Odontophorus leucolaemus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Galliformes
Family: Odontophoridae
Subfamily: Odontophorinae
Genus: Odontophorus
Vieillot, 1816
Type species
Tetrao gujanensis (marbled wood quail)
Gmelin, JF, 1789
Species

See species list

The wood quails are birds in the genus Odontophorus of the New World quail family, which are residents in forests in the Americas. [1] The core range of the genus is centered in the lowlands and foothills of the northern Andes of Colombia and the mountain ranges of Central America; however, some species occur elsewhere in tropical and subtropical South America.

Contents

These are shy species, and as a consequence are amongst the most difficult galliform birds to study or even observe. The best chance of seeing wood quail is at dawn or dusk, when they may feed at the side of a road or on a forest track in family groups up to 12 birds. Nevertheless, when protected, they can become surprisingly tame, as has been shown at Paz de las Aves near Mindo, Ecuador, with the dark-backed wood quail.

Wood quail are 22–30 cm long, dumpy, short-tailed, stout-billed partridge-like birds with a bushy crest. The upper parts are dark brown, and the under parts are black, grey, brown, or rufous. Some species have a striking black and white throat or facial markings. The sexes are similar, but in some species, the female has a duller-coloured crest, and in others the under parts are more rufous or grey than in the male. The advertising calls are loud and distinctive duets consisting of repeated phrases, and are often the only indication that wood quail are present.

For most wood quail, information has mainly come from specimens, and breeding behaviour and habits are little known. The majority of species, including the relatively widespread spotted wood quail have never had their nests described.

Those species for which the feeding habits are known forage on the ground, scratching at the soil for seeds, fallen fruit, and insects. Wood quail are typically shy and wary; they normally make good their escape on foot, but if startled, explode into a short, fast flight into dense cover.

All wood quail species have been adversely affected by hunting and, in particular, rampant deforestation. Several species with restricted ranges are now considered threatened.

Taxonomy

The genus Odontophorus was introduced in 1816 by the French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot to accommodate a single species, the marbled wood quail, which is therefore the type species. [2] [3] The genus name Odontophorus is from Ancient Greek meaning "bearing teeth", from odous "tooth" and pherō "to carry". [4] The genus now contains 15 species. [5]

Species

ImageCommon nameNameDistribution
Marbled Wood-Quail - Rio Tigre - Costa Rica MG 7758 (26101675664).jpg Marbled wood quail Odontophorus gujanensisBolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela
Odontophorus capueira -Parque Estadual da Serra da Cantareira, Sao Paulo, Brazil-8 (1).jpg Spot-winged wood quail Odontophorus capueiraBrazil, Argentina and Paraguay, and formerly in Uruguay
Black-eared wood quail Odontophorus melanotisHonduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama
Rufous-fronted wood quail Odontophorus erythropsColombia and Ecuador
Black-fronted wood quail.jpg Black-fronted wood quail Odontophorus atrifronsColombia and Venezuela
Chestnut wood quail (Odontophorus hyperythrus).jpg Chestnut wood quail Odontophorus hyperythrusColombia.
Dark-backed wood quail (Odontophorus melanonotus).jpg Dark-backed wood quail Odontophorus melanonotusColombia and Ecuador
Rufous-breasted wood quail Odontophorus speciosusBolivia, Ecuador, and Peru
Tacarcuna wood quail Odontophorus dialeucosColombia and Panama.
Gorgeted wood quail Odontophorus strophiumColombia
Venezuelan wood quail Odontophorus columbianusVenezuela
Black-breasted wood quail Odontophorus leucolaemusCosta Rica and Panama
Stripe-faced wood quail Odontophorus ballivianisouthern Peru and Bolivia
Starred wood quail Odontophorus stellatusBolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru
Spotted Wood Quail, Costa Rica, January 2018 (27083973248).jpg Spotted wood quail Odontophorus guttatusCentral America from southern Mexico to western Panama

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New World quail</span> Family of birds

The New World quail are small birds, that despite their similar appearance and habits to the Old World quail, belong to a different family known as the Odontophoridae. In contrast, the Old World quail are in the Phasianidae family. The geographical range of the New World quail extends from Canada to southern Brazil, and two species, the California quail and the bobwhite quail, have been successfully introduced to New Zealand. The stone partridge and Nahan's partridge, both found in Africa, seem to belong to the family. Species are found across a variety of habitats from tropical rainforest to deserts, although few species are capable of surviving at very low temperatures. There are 34 species divided into 10 genera.

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<i>Tragopan</i> Genus of birds

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<i>Nyctibius</i> Genus of nocturnal birds of tropical Central and South America

Nyctibius is a genus of potoos, nocturnal birds in the family Nyctibiidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hornero</span> Genus of birds

The hornero birds are members of the genus Furnarius in the family Furnariidae, native to South America. The English common name appears in many books as "ovenbird".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plumbeous kite</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great antshrike</span> Species of bird

The great antshrike is a passerine bird in the antbird family, Thamnophilidae. It is the only member of the genus Taraba. It is a resident breeder in the tropical New World in southern Mexico, Central America, Trinidad and South America down to northern Argentina and southeastern Brazil.

<i>Perdix</i> Genus of birds

Perdix is a genus of Galliform gamebirds known collectively as the 'true partridges'. These birds are unrelated to the subtropical species that have been named after the partridge due to similar size and morphology.

<i>Conopophaga</i> Genus of birds

Conopophaga is a genus of birds in the gnateater family. Its members are found in forest and woodland in South America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spotted wood quail</span> Species of bird

The spotted wood quail is a small ground-dwelling bird in the New World quail family. It is a resident breeder in the mountains of Central America from southern Mexico to western Panama.

<i>Tityra</i> Genus of birds

The tityras are passerine birds in the genus Tityra of the family Tityridae. They are found from southern Mexico, through Central America, to northern and central South America, including Trinidad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crimson-headed partridge</span> Species of bird

The crimson-headed partridge is a species of bird in the pheasant, partridge, and francolin family Phasianidae. Described by the British ornithologist Richard Bowdler Sharpe in 1879, it is the only species in the genus Haematortyx. It is endemic to Borneo, where it inhabits lower montane forest in the northern and central parts of the island. It is mainly found at elevations of 1,000–1,700 m (3,300–5,600 ft), but can be seen as low as 185 m (607 ft) and as high as 3,050 m (10,010 ft). Adult males have a striking appearance, with a dark blackish body and crimson red heads, necks, breasts, and undertail coverts. Females have a similar pattern, but with duller brownish-black colouration, orangish-red heads and breasts, and a brownish-black bill instead of a yellowish one. Juveniles are duller and have the crimson restricted to the top of the head.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spot-winged wood quail</span> Species of bird

The spot-winged wood quail is a species of bird in the family Odontophoridae. It is found in Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, and formerly in Uruguay. In Portuguese and Spanish the bird is called uru.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marbled wood quail</span> Species of bird

The marbled wood quail, also known as the Amazonian wood quail, is a species of bird in the New World quail family. It has an extensive distribution in Central America and the northern part of South America. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-breasted wood quail</span> Species of bird

The black-breasted wood quail is a bird species in the family Odontophoridae. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dark-backed wood quail</span> Species of bird

The dark-backed wood quail is a bird species in the family Odontophoridae, which is the New World quail. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-eared wood quail</span> Species of bird

The black-eared wood quail is a bird species in the order Galliformes. Until recently, the species was thought to be part of the family Phasianidae however DNA-DNA hybridization results determined that black-eared wood quail are only distantly related to Old World quail. As a result, black-eared wood quail have been placed in the family Odontophoridae and more specifically, in the category of wood quail.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Starred wood quail</span> Species of bird

The starred wood quail is a species of bird in the family Odontophoridae. It is found in subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests of Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Peru.

<i>Thamnophilus</i> Genus of birds

Thamnophilus is a genus of antbird in the antbird family, Thamnophilidae. The species in this genus are commonly known as antshrikes. They are insectivores that feed by gleaning prey from foliage and are found in the Neotropics.

References

  1. Johnsgard, "The American Wood Quails Odontophorus" World Pheasant Association Journal 4 (1979), pp. 93–99.
  2. Vieillot, Louis Pierre (1816). Analyse d'une Nouvelle Ornithologie Élémentaire (in French). Paris: Deterville/self. p. 51.
  3. Peters, James Lee, ed. (1934). Check-List of Birds of the World. Vol. 2. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. p. 51.
  4. Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 280. ISBN   978-1-4081-2501-4.
  5. Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (January 2022). "Megapodes, guans, guineafowl, New World quail". IOC World Bird List Version 12.1. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 5 July 2022.