Buffy-crowned Wood-partridge vs Banded Quail
Dendrortyx leucophrys compared with Philortyx fasciatus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Buffy-crowned Wood-partridge | Banded Quail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dendrortyx leucophrys | Philortyx fasciatus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Odontophoridae | Odontophoridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 29.8 cm (11.7 in) | 19.7 cm (7.8 in) |
| Weight | 368.5 g (13.00 oz) | 127.25 g (4.49 oz) |
| Diet | Forages on forest floor in Central American highlands for seeds, invertebrates, and small fruits. Scratches … | Eats seeds and small invertebrates in Mexican thorn scrub and dry grassland. Forages on ground … |
| Clutch Size | 6-7 | 3-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Buffy-crowned Wood-partridge
Emits a loud, resonant oo-oo-oo-oo hooting call; male's call is surprisingly owl-like. The haunting, owl-like hooting series carries through Central American mountain forest.
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
Buffy-crowned Wood-partridge
Resident in the highlands of Guatemala south to Costa Rica at 1,200-3,200 m. Found in cloud forest and pine-oak 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
Buffy-crowned Wood-partridge
Banded Quail
How to Tell Them Apart
Buffy-crowned Wood-partridge
Rufous-brown above; crown warm buff to whitish; bold black-and-white striped face; breast and flanks heavily streaked black on rufous ground; belly paler buff; tail rufous-chestnut.
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
Buffy-crowned Wood-partridge
A medium-sized New World quail (~370 g) of family Odontophoridae, with a buffy-white supercilium and rufous-brown plumage. Inhabits montane cloud forests and humid highland forests from Mexico through Central America to Panama. Forages on the ground for seeds, berries, and invertebrates. Least Concern; commonly heard but seldom seen due to dense forest cover and secretive behavior.
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.