Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Buff-fronted Quail-Dove (Zentrygon costaricensis)
Buff-fronted Quail-Dove

Buff-fronted Quail-Dove

Zentrygon costaricensis

The buff-fronted quail-dove, a denizen of the Talamancan montane forests, is a medium-sized bird with a length ranging from 24 to 28 cm. Exhibiting sexual dimorphism in weight, males tip the scales between 310 and 330 grams, while females are lighter at 225 to 283 grams. The adult's plumage is a tapestry of medium gray on the head, neck, and breast, transitioning to a green-tinged nape and upper back, and culminating in a maroon back, wings, and tail. A distinctive light gray cheek framed by narrow black stripes and a buffy forehead bestow this species with its name. The eyes are brown, encircled by a slim red ring, and the legs are a striking coral-red, complementing a dull brown bill with a reddish base. Juveniles display a dusky gray crown and nape with a green sheen, and their upperparts are a muted chestnut adorned with indistinct dusky bars and cinnamon feather tips. Their underparts are a mélange of gray and cinnamon bars and freckles, with a buff belly.

Identification Tips

To identify the buff-fronted quail-dove, look for the unique head pattern with light gray cheeks and black stripes extending past the eye, as well as the buff-colored forehead. The red eye-ring and coral-red legs are also key features. The maroon coloration of the back, wings, and tail is distinctive, as is the size and shape of the bird when compared to other doves.

Habitat

This species thrives in the Talamancan montane forests, a habitat characterized by its elevation and lush vegetation.

Distribution

The buff-fronted quail-dove is a permanent resident from the northern reaches of Costa Rica's Cordillera de Guanacaste, extending southeast into western Panama, as far as Veraguas Province.

Behaviour

These quail-doves are often seen foraging alone or in pairs, meticulously searching through leaf litter on the forest floor for sustenance.

Song & calls

The vocal repertoire of the buff-fronted quail-dove includes a distinctive "hoOOOO" song, which crescendos towards the end with a slightly rising inflection.

Breeding

Breeding behaviors and phenology remain largely enigmatic, but one observed nest was a nearly flat platform of coarse twigs, moss, and liverworts, situated about 4 meters above ground on a horizontal branch.

Diet and Feeding

While the full extent of their diet is not well documented, it is known to include fruit, seeds, and likely insects.

Conservation status

The IUCN has classified the buff-fronted quail-dove as Least Concern, recognizing its fairly common presence within a relatively small range and a population that appears to be stable.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Buff-fronted Quail-Doves on Birda

Sightings
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Diego Ramírez-Calvo
Diego Ramírez-Calvo
13 Sep 2024 - 8:30pm
Costa Rica

More Pigeons, Doves

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Emma L
App got me interested in birding!
Super friendly community <3 This app got me interested in birding! It teaches me cool stuff and its super friendly, and fun :) The species guide is really developing my knowledge, and i love seeing cool new birds from round the world!
SuperOliviaGirl
Really great app
It’s easy to use and it’s fun to log the birds you notice on a walk or just in your garden. There’s a option to record the birds you see in a session which is really nice. Good excuse to stop for a while and just watch birds. I am also enjoying the information part where you can find out fact about birds from all over the world.
Unbridled Discoveries
Great app for bird lovers
I love this app! It’s a wonderful way to track birding sessions, and also connect you with fellow birders. I also really like the unidentified bird section, it’s a great community tool to help figure out what a never-before-seen bird is!
Alex J
Friendly and helps to identify birds
Great birding app, good for logging your sightings, also has nice species guide. I'm enjoying the social aspect more than I expected, everyone seems friendly and helps to identify unknown birds. Good mix of newbies and experienced users.
Paul F
Very good database
Highly recommend. It great that this app shows you male Vs female variations when posting. Very good database I'm really impressed.
Leonie
We've been waiting for an App like this
Excellent! We've been waiting for an app like this! Thank you! It would be nice if you could assign additional birds to sessions later!
Nick S
Work together with community
Been loving using this app to log my bird sightings and work together with community members to identify different birds. I've already learned a lot since I started about a month ago!
JCBirding
Just what birding needs
We need more fun in birding, for years it has had a reputation for being up tight and stuffy and only perused by retirees and anoraks. Birda helps change that perception and firmly brings birding into the 21st century! Fun, interactive while still contributing to science and conservation. If you aren’t on it, why not??
Viperray5
Loving it
I really enjoy being able to interact with other birders on this platform! This seems like a great way to meet other birders and find some new spots.
Jane N
A great app
Enjoying it immensely and finding it useful too. Recording the different birds and counting them is showing me how the present climate is affecting them all. I've trebled the numbers by planting native hedging. A great app.
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.