Odontophorid

The New World quail are small birds only distantly related to the Old World quail, but named for their similar appearance and habits. The American species are in their own family, the Odontophoridae, whereas Old World quail are in the pheasant family Phasianidae. The family ranges from Canada through to southern Brazil, and two species, the California quail and the bobwhite quail, have been successfully introduced to New Zealand. The stone partridge and Nahan's partridge, both found in Africa, seem to belong to the family. Species are found across a variety of habitats from tropical rainforest to deserts, although few species are capable of surviving at very low temperatures. The 34 species are placed in 10 genera.

The legs of most New World quails are short but powerful, with some species having very thick legs for digging. They lack the spurs of many Old World galliformes. Although they are capable of short bursts of strong flight, New World quails prefer to walk, and run from danger (or hide), taking off explosively only as a last resort. Plumage varies from dull to spectacular, and many species have ornamental crests or plumes on their heads. Moderate sexual dichromism is seen in plumage, with males having brighter plumage.

Behaviour and ecology

The New World quails are shy diurnal birds and generally live on the ground; even the tree quails, which roost in high trees, generally feed mainly on the ground. They are generalists with regards to their diet, taking insects, seeds, vegetation, and tubers. Desert species in particular consume seeds frequently.

Most of the information about the breeding biology of New World quails comes from North American species, which have been better studied than those of the Neotropics. The family is generally thought to be monogamous, and nests are constructed on the ground. Clutch sizes are large, as is typical within the Galliformes, ranging from three to six eggs for the tree quail and wood quail, and as high as 10-15 for the northern bobwhite. Incubation takes between 16 and 30 days depending on the species. Chicks are precocial and quickly leave the nest to accompany the parents in large family groups.

Northern bobwhite and California quail are popular gamebirds, with many taken by hunters, but these species have also had their ranges increased to meet hunting demand and are not threatened. They are also artificially stocked. Some species are threatened by human activity, such as the bearded tree quail of Mexico, which is threatened by habitat loss and illegal hunting.

Species

Subspecies English names by Çınar 2015.
} (plains bobwhite)
*** ''C. v. texanus (Lawrence 1853) (Texas bobwhite)
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, '' Callipepla'' (Crested quails)
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* †''Callipepla shotwelli''
* Scaled quail/blue quail ''Callipepla squamata''
** ''C. s. pallida'' (northern scaled quail)
** ''C. s. hargravei'' (Upper Sonoran scaled quail)
** ''C. s. castanogastris'' (chestnut-bellied scaled quail)
** ''C. s. squamata'' (Altiplano scaled quail)
* Elegant quail, ''Callipepla douglasii''
** ''C. d. douglasii'' (Douglas's elegant quail)
** ''C. d. bensoni'' (Benson's elegant quail)
** ''C. d. vanderbilti'' (Islas Marías elegant quail)
** ''C. d. teres'' (Jalisco elegant quail)
* California quail, ''Callipepla californica''
** ''C. c. brunnescens'' (coastal California quail)
** ''C. c. canfieldae'' (Owen Valley quail)
** ''C. c. californica'' (valley California quail)
** ''C. c. catalinensis'' (Santa Catalina California quail)
** ''C. c. achrustera'' (San Lucas California quail)
* Gambel's quail, ''Callipepla gambelii''
** ''C. g. gambelii'' (southwestern Gambel's quail)
** ''C. g. ignoscens'' (Texas Gambel's quail)
** ''C. g. fulvipectus'' (fulvous-breasted Gambel's quail)
** ''C. g. stephensi'' (Stephen's Gambel's quail)
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, '' Cyrtonyx''
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* †''Cyrtonyx cooki''
* Ocellated quail, ''Cyrtonyx ocellatus''
* Montezuma quail, ''Cyrtonyx montezumae''
** ''C. m. mearnsi'' (Mearns's Montezuma quail)
** ''C. m. montezumae'' (Massena harlequin quail)
** ''C. m. rowleyi''
** ''C. m. sallei'' (Salle's Montezuma/spot-breasted quail)
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, '' Dactylortyx''
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* long-toed/Singing quail, ''Dactylortyx thoracicus''
** ''D. t. pettingilli''
** ''D. t. thoracicus'' (Veracruz singing quail)
** ''D. t. sharpei'' (Yucatán singing quail)
** ''D. t. paynteri''
** ''D. t. devius'' (Jaliscan singing quail)
** ''D. t. melodus''
** ''D. t. chiapensis'' (Chiapan singing quail)
** ''D. t. dolichonyx'' actylortyx thoracicus calophonus** ''D. t. salvadoranus'' (Salvadorean long-toed partridge)
** ''D. t. fuscus'' (Honduran long-toed partridge)
** ''D. t. conoveri''
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, '' Odontophorus'' (wood quails)
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* Spotted wood quail, ''Odontophorus guttatus''
* Marbled wood quail, ''Odontophorus gujanensis''
** ''O. g. castigatus'' (Chiriquí partridge)
** ''O. g. marmoratus'' (marbled partridge)
** ''O. g. medius'' (Duida partridge)
** ''O. g. gujanensis'' (Guianan partridge)
** ''O. g. buckleyi'' (Buckley's partridge)
** ''O. g. rufogularis''
** ''O. g. pachyrhynchus'' (thick-billed partridge)
** ''O. g. simonsi'' (Simon's partridge)
* Starred wood quail, ''Odontophorus stellatus''
* Spot-winged wood quail, ''Odontophorus capueira''
* Black-eared wood quail, ''Odontophorus melanotis''
** ''O. m. verecundus'' (Honduran partridge)
** ''O. m. melanotis'' (black-eared wood quail)
* Rufous-fronted wood quail, ''Odontophorus erythrops''
** ''O. e. parambae'' (Paramba quail)
** ''O. e. erythrops'' (chestnut-eared partridge)
* Stripe-faced wood quail, ''Odontophorus balliviani''
* Chestnut wood quail, ''Odontophorus hyperythrus''
* Dark-backed wood quail, ''Odontophorus melanonotus''
* Rufous-breasted wood quail, ''Odontophorus speciosus''
** ''O. s. soderstromii'' (Soderstrom's partridge)
** ''O. s. speciosus'' (rufous-breasted partridge)
** ''O. s. loricatus'' (Bolivian partridge)
* Tacarcuna wood quail, ''Odontophorus dialeucos''
* Gorgeted wood quail, ''Odontophorus strophium''
* Venezuelan wood quail, ''Odontophorus columbianus''
* Black-breasted wood quail, ''Odontophorus leucolaemus''
* Black-fronted wood quail, ''Odontophorus atrifrons''
** ''O. a. atrifrons'' (black-fronted partridge)
** ''O. a. variegatus'' (variegated partridge)
** ''O. a. navai''
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Fossils

* Genus †'' Miortyx'' Miller 1944
** †'' Miortyx teres'' Miller 1944
** †'' Miortyx aldeni'' Howard 1966
* Genus †'' Nanortyx'' Weigel 1963
** †'' Nanortyx inexpectatus'' Weigel 1963
* Genus †'' Neortyx'' Holman 1961
** †'' Neortyx peninsularis'' Holman 1961

Phylogeny

Living Odontophoridae based on the work by John Boyd.

See also

* Quail eggs
* List of Galliformes

References

* del Hoyo, J.; Elliot, A. & Sargatal, J. (editors). (1994). Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: New World Vultures to Guineafowl. Lynx Edicions.

External links

gbwf.org - Quail, Aviculture & Conservation

New World quail videos
on the Internet Bird Collection

{{Authority control

Game birds

Quails
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Taxa named by John Gould