Stripe-faced Wood Quail

Overview

The stripe-faced wood quail (Odontophorus balliviani) is a species of New World quail found in Bolivia and Peru. It is currently classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, although its population size is unknown and may be declining.

Identification

• Length of 26 to 28 cm, with males weighing approximately 311 g and females 324 g.
• Males feature a brown face with a patch of bare red skin around the eye bordered by a black line, and a chestnut crown and crest with a buff border.
• Back and rump are brown with black vermiculation; throat is buff with white streaks and breast and belly are brown with white diamond-shaped spots.
• Female is similar to the male but paler brown above and more rufous below.
• Advertising call is a rapidly repeated 'whydlyi-i, whydlyi-i' given by both members of a pair, along with a harsh rattling alarm call and chirps.

Habitat

Found on the east slope of the Andes in southeastern Peru's Cuzco and Puno Provinces and western Bolivia's La Paz and Cochabamba Departments. It inhabits subtropical montane forest rich in tree ferns, bamboos, and epiphytes, including primary and young secondary forest, stunted cloudforest, clearings, wet meadows, and gulleys. Elevation typically ranges from 1,000 to 3,300 m, occasionally as low as 800 m in Peru.

Did you know?

The specific epithet of the stripe-faced wood quail commemorates José Ballivián, who was President of Bolivia at the time of its naming.