Rufous-fronted Wood Quail

Overview

The rufous-fronted wood quail (Odontophorus erythrops) is a species of bird in the family Odontophoridae, commonly known as New World quails. It is currently classified as a species of Least Concern by the IUCN.

Identification

• Length ranges from 23 to 28 cm, with males weighing approximately 340 g and females around 329 g.
• Males feature a rufous crown, crest, and face with a ring of bare purple skin around the eye, while females have a duller chestnut face and a blue-black eye ring.
• The back and rump are black or olive with black spots, and the breast and belly are dark rufous.
• Vocalisations include a rapidly repeated ringing duet described as 'chowita, chowita, chowita' and a resonant 'koo-klaw, koo-klaw, koo-klaw'.

Habitat

This species inhabits primary and secondary humid tropical forests in Ecuador and Colombia. In Ecuador, it is found up to 1,600 m, though usually only as high as 1,100 m in Colombia, specifically in the Pacific slope of western Ecuador, western Colombia, and Colombia's Magdalena Valley.

Diet

The specific diet of the rufous-fronted wood quail has not been formally studied, but individuals have been observed coming to grain at lodge feeders.

Did you know?

Breeding activity is believed to occur between January and May, yet no other details regarding its breeding phenology have been published.