Rufous-fronted Wood-quail vs Mountain Quail
Odontophorus erythrops compared with Oreortyx pictus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Rufous-fronted Wood-quail | Mountain Quail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Odontophorus erythrops | Oreortyx pictus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Odontophoridae | Odontophoridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 28.6 cm (11.3 in) | 26.8 cm (10.6 in) |
| Weight | 278.75 g (9.83 oz) | 237.83333333333334 g (8.39 oz) |
| Diet | Eats seeds, invertebrates, and small fruits on floor of Pacific slope forests in Ecuador and … | Eats seeds, berries, and leaves in chaparral and coniferous mountain forests. Also takes bulbs and … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 6-16 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Rufous-fronted Wood-quail
Loud rolling 'quuh-KWEER' duet with hollow, slightly nasal tone; carries well through humid foothill forest. Soft clucking contact notes exchanged between group members.
Mountain Quail
Male produces a loud, high, clear queee-ark call; pairs respond with rhythmic, whistled duets. The far-carrying, piping call is one of the most distinctive mountain bird sounds of western North …
Geographic Range & Migration
Rufous-fronted Wood-quail
Resident in the Pacific lowlands and foothills of Ecuador and Colombia. Found in humid forest and forest edges below 1,000 m.
Mountain Quail
Resident in the coastal ranges and Sierra Nevada of California, Oregon, and Washington at 500-3,000 m. Found in montane chaparral and brush.
Conservation Status
Rufous-fronted Wood-quail
Mountain Quail
How to Tell Them Apart
Rufous-fronted Wood-quail
Dark brown above; forecrown bright rufous-orange contrasting with darker crown and back; bare red eye-ring; underparts brown with buff streaking; throat buff; small crest on nape.
Mountain Quail
Blue-grey breast and flanks boldly barred chestnut-and-white; olive-brown back; chestnut throat bordered white; long straight black plume from crown; male and female similar.
About These Birds
Rufous-fronted Wood-quail
A medium-sized New World quail (~280 g) of family Odontophoridae, with a rufous forehead and brownish plumage. Inhabits humid lowland and foothill forests on both Pacific and Caribbean slopes of western Colombia and northwestern Ecuador. Forages on the forest floor for seeds and invertebrates. Least Concern; found in Chocó forests but not considered threatened despite regional deforestation.
Mountain Quail
A medium-sized New World quail (~240 g) of family Odontophoridae, with a long straight head plume and chestnut flanks barred in white. Inhabits chaparral, brushy mountain slopes, and pine-oak forest in the Pacific mountain ranges of western North America. Forages for seeds, bulbs, and berries. Least Concern; the largest North American quail species, exhibiting altitudinal migration.