Black-throated Bobwhite vs Black-breasted Wood-quail
Colinus nigrogularis compared with Odontophorus leucolaemus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black-throated Bobwhite | Black-breasted Wood-quail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Colinus nigrogularis | Odontophorus leucolaemus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Odontophoridae | Odontophoridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 20.4 cm (8.0 in) | 25.3 cm (10.0 in) |
| Weight | 131.33333333333334 g (4.63 oz) | 293.6666666666667 g (10.36 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on seeds, berries, and invertebrates in Central American grasslands and scrub. Diet similar to … | Eats seeds, invertebrates, and small fruits on forest floor in Costa Rican and Panamanian lowland … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 5 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Black-throated Bobwhite
Whistled 'bob-white' series with slightly lower pitch than Northern Bobwhite; introductory 'bob' note longer. Rally call a rapid nasal 'koi-ee'; covey clucks are quiet and rhythmic.
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
Black-throated Bobwhite
Resident from Mexico and the Yucatán south through Central America to Nicaragua. Found in dry scrub 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
Black-throated Bobwhite
Black-breasted Wood-quail
How to Tell Them Apart
Black-throated Bobwhite
Male has entirely black throat and face contrasting with white supercilium and neck spots; rufous-brown back streaked black; white-spotted flanks on rufous; belly pale. Female duller with buff replacing white.
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
Black-throated Bobwhite
A small New World quail (~130 g) of family Odontophoridae, with a distinctive black throat in males. Inhabits open pine savannas, grasslands, and agricultural edges from southern Mexico through the Yucatán Peninsula to Nicaragua. Forages on the ground for seeds and invertebrates in small coveys. Least Concern; adapted to fire-maintained savanna habitats of the Caribbean 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.