Spot-bellied Bobwhite vs Black-breasted Wood-quail
Colinus leucopogon compared with Odontophorus leucolaemus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Spot-bellied Bobwhite | Black-breasted Wood-quail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Colinus leucopogon | Odontophorus leucolaemus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Odontophoridae | Odontophoridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 20.6 cm (8.1 in) | 25.3 cm (10.0 in) |
| Weight | 129.5 g (4.57 oz) | 293.6666666666667 g (10.36 oz) |
| Diet | Eats seeds, berries, and invertebrates in Central American dry forests and scrubby grassland. Forages on … | Eats seeds, invertebrates, and small fruits on forest floor in Costa Rican and Panamanian lowland … |
| Clutch Size | 11-13 | 5 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Spot-bellied Bobwhite
Shrill, ascending two-note whistle; male territorial song shorter and drier than Northern Bobwhite. Alarm a sharp nasal 'kwik'; flock maintains rolling soft chatter.
Black-breasted Wood-quail
Resonant 'cor-WE-co' duet calls; male initiates, female responds immediately. Very loud for size, audible through dense Panamanian forest. Alarm is rapid, harsh clucking.
Geographic Range & Migration
Spot-bellied Bobwhite
Resident from Guatemala and El Salvador south through Central America to Colombia. Found in brushy fields and open woodland.
Black-breasted Wood-quail
Resident in the mountains of Costa Rica and western Panama at 1,000-2,500 m. Found in humid cloud forest.
Conservation Status
Spot-bellied Bobwhite
Black-breasted Wood-quail
How to Tell Them Apart
Spot-bellied Bobwhite
Male has white throat with dark scaling, white supercilium, chestnut-brown back with dark streaks, and underparts heavily spotted black on white; flanks chestnut-barred. Female duller and buffier.
Black-breasted Wood-quail
Dark brown above; throat white; breast and belly jet black contrasting with white throat; bare reddish eye-ring; flanks dark brown; black breast against white throat creates bold bicoloured underpart pattern.
About These Birds
Spot-bellied Bobwhite
A small New World quail (~130 g) of family Odontophoridae, with a white-spotted belly in males. Inhabits open habitats including pine savannas, grasslands, shrubby clearings, and agricultural edges from Honduras to Costa Rica. Forages in coveys for seeds and invertebrates. Least Concern; adapted to disturbed and semi-open landscapes in Central American Pacific lowlands.
Black-breasted Wood-quail
A medium-sized New World quail (~295 g) of family Odontophoridae, with contrasting black breast and white facial markings. Inhabits humid lowland and foothill forests in Costa Rica and Panama. Forages secretively on the forest floor in pairs or small groups for seeds and invertebrates. Least Concern; found in intact forest of Central America's Pacific and Caribbean slopes.