Black-throated Bobwhite vs Banded Quail
Colinus nigrogularis compared with Philortyx fasciatus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black-throated Bobwhite | Banded Quail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Colinus nigrogularis | Philortyx fasciatus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Odontophoridae | Odontophoridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 20.4 cm (8.0 in) | 19.7 cm (7.8 in) |
| Weight | 131.33333333333334 g (4.63 oz) | 127.25 g (4.49 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on seeds, berries, and invertebrates in Central American grasslands and scrub. Diet similar to … | Eats seeds and small invertebrates in Mexican thorn scrub and dry grassland. Forages on ground … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 3-7 |
| 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.
Banded Quail
High-pitched, whistled 'wit-wit-weee' repeated persistently from dense scrub. Covey contact calls are soft, rapid clucks; alarm produces sharp explosive chips.
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.
Banded Quail
Endemic to the Pacific slope of Mexico from Jalisco south to Guerrero and Oaxaca. Found in dry forest and thorn scrub.
Conservation Status
Black-throated Bobwhite
Banded 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.
Banded Quail
Heavily barred black and buff throughout, including crown; white supercilium; throat whitish; short rounded crest; belly barred buff and black; sexes similar. Distinctive fine barring on entire body.
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.
Banded Quail
A small New World quail (~125 g) of family Odontophoridae, with bold horizontal brown-and-white banding across the breast and flanks. Endemic to semi-arid scrublands, grasslands, and dry forests of the Balsas Depression in central Mexico. Forages in groups on the ground for seeds and invertebrates. Least Concern; a monotypic genus restricted to Mexico's western interior.