Scaled Quail vs Rufous-breasted Wood-quail
Callipepla squamata compared with Odontophorus speciosus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Scaled Quail | Rufous-breasted Wood-quail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Callipepla squamata | Odontophorus speciosus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Odontophoridae | Odontophoridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 23.2 cm (9.1 in) | 26.7 cm (10.5 in) |
| Weight | 195.5 g (6.90 oz) | 317.0 g (11.18 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on seeds, leaves, and cacti in arid southwestern US scrubland. Takes invertebrates especially during … | Eats seeds, invertebrates, and small fruits on floor of Andean foothill forests in Ecuador, Peru, … |
| Clutch Size | 3-16 | 5 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Scaled Quail only
Rufous-breasted Wood-quail only
Song & Call Comparison
Scaled Quail
Male gives a nasal, emphatic pay-COS call; coveys scatter with rapid, chattering clucks. The distinctive, nasal pay-COS call is the species' advertising call; carries across desert grassland.
Rufous-breasted Wood-quail
Paired 'co-WEE-oo' whistles, antiphonal between male and female; rich, flute-like tone in humid Andean forest. Alarm note is a rapid low 'krrk'; roost contact is muted clucking.
Geographic Range & Migration
Scaled Quail
Resident in the semi-arid grasslands and desert scrub of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Found in arid and semi-arid plains.
Rufous-breasted Wood-quail
Resident in the east Andean foothills of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia at 800-2,400 m. Found in humid cloud forest.
Conservation Status
Scaled Quail
Rufous-breasted Wood-quail
How to Tell Them Apart
Scaled Quail
Bluish-grey overall with black-edged feathers creating prominent scaly pattern on breast and flanks; white-tipped crest fluffy and pale; back brownish-grey; sexes similar but female slightly duller.
Rufous-breasted Wood-quail
Upperparts dark brown streaked buff; throat and breast bright rufous-orange contrasting sharply with dark back; flanks dark brown barred; bare reddish eye-ring; bright rufous breast is key feature.
About These Birds
Scaled Quail
A medium-sized New World quail (~195 g) of family Odontophoridae, with scaly grey-brown plumage and a whitish cottontop crest. Inhabits semi-arid shrublands, grasslands, and desert scrub from the southwestern United States to central Mexico. Forages in coveys for seeds and invertebrates. Least Concern; well adapted to arid environments, commonly hunted for sport.
Rufous-breasted Wood-quail
A medium-sized New World quail (~315 g) of family Odontophoridae, with warm rufous breast and flanks. Inhabits humid and cloud forests in the Andes of Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador at 500–2,000 m elevation. Forages on the forest floor in pairs or small groups for seeds, berries, and invertebrates. Least Concern; broadly distributed in Andean mid-elevation forests with stable populations.