Ocellated Quail

The Ocellated Quail, a member of the New World quail family, is a modestly sized bird, with lengths ranging from 20.5 to 23 cm. Males are slightly heavier than females, weighing in at an estimated 218 grams compared to the female's 182 grams.

Identification Tips

Adult males are distinguished by their striking black and white harlequin-patterned face, a buffy brown to olive brown crown and nape, and a pronounced tawny crest at the rear of the crown. Their throat is white, adorned with black stripes, while their upperparts are a mix of gray and brown with cinnamon stripes and black spots. The central breast is tawny cinnamon, flanked by gray with cinnamon spots, and the belly is a deeper shade of cinnamon. The flanks are gray with cinnamon scallops, and the vent area is black. Females, on the other hand, have a buffy and black face, a tawny crest, and brown upperparts with buff lines. Their breast and belly are wine red with black bars and spots.

Habitat

The Ocellated Quail favors shrubland and open pine and oak forests for its habitat, typically found at elevations between 750 and 3,050 meters.

Distribution

This species is known to inhabit regions in far southern Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and possibly Nicaragua. However, sightings have been predominantly in Guatemala since the late 1900s.

Behaviour

The Ocellated Quail is a terrestrial bird, known for its foraging habits which include digging for tubers and roots with its feet. During the breeding season, it also consumes a variety of insects.

Song & calls

While not extensively documented, the vocalizations of the Ocellated Quail are said to resemble those of the Montezuma quail. The male is known to emit a single descending, buzzy whistle, while the female produces a descending series of short notes.

Breeding

Details on the breeding habits of the Ocellated Quail are scarce. Reports from Guatemala suggest a breeding season from April to August, but descriptions of nests and eggs remain elusive.

Conservation status

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified the Ocellated Quail as Vulnerable. With an estimated population of fewer than 10,000 individuals, the species is experiencing a rapid decline due to increased agricultural land demand, mining concessions in Guatemala, and heightened hunting pressure.