Black-fronted Wood-quail
Odontophorus atrifrons
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About
A medium-sized New World quail (~290 g) of family Odontophoridae, with a distinctive black forehead. Inhabits montane and foothill forests in the Andes and Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta of Colombia and Venezuela at 500–2,000 m elevation. Forages on the forest floor in pairs for seeds and invertebrates. Least Concern; found in Andean forests with populations considered relatively stable.
Physical Description
| Measurement | Value | Imperial |
|---|---|---|
| Wingspan | 27.3 cm | 10.7 in |
| Weight | 290.8 g | 10.26 oz |
Identification
Plumage
Brown above with fine buff streaking; forecrown and lores jet black contrasting with rufous rest of head; bare red eye-ring; underparts buffy-brown finely barred; throat whitish; small crest.
Habitat & Range
Geographic Range
Resident in the mountains of northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela at 500-2,200 m. Found in humid cloud and foothill forest.
Diet & Feeding
Forages on forest floor in Colombian and Venezuelan Andes for seeds, invertebrates, and small fruits. Scratches leaf litter.
Conservation Status
Behavior & Breeding
Nesting
Nest type: SC.
Clutch Size
3
Sound
Song
Melodic 'cu-cu-ROOOO' duet echoing in Andean cloud forest; pairs synchronize notes precisely. Alarm is a sharp 'kuk' repeated in rapid bursts when predator detected.
Taxonomy
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Galliformes (Gamebirds) |
| Family | Odontophoridae (New World Quail) |
| Genus | Odontophorus |
| Species | Odontophorus atrifrons |
Distribution
Black-fronted Wood-quail has been recorded in 3 countries.
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External Databases
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Black-fronted Wood-quail eat?
Where does the Black-fronted Wood-quail live?
Is the Black-fronted Wood-quail endangered?
How does the Black-fronted Wood-quail nest?
What does the Black-fronted Wood-quail sound like?
How big is the Black-fronted Wood-quail?
What order and family does the Black-fronted Wood-quail belong to?
Similar Birds
Other species in the Odontophoridae family