Photo: John Gerrard Keulemans / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-eared Wood Quail
Odontophorus melanotis
Black-eared Wood Quail (Odontophorus melanotis) — Gamebirds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found on 1 guide in our atlas — open it for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-eared Wood Quail (Odontophorus melanotis) is a member of the Odontophoridae family found in Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 335 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Galliformes
- Family Odontophoridae New World Quail
- Genus Odontophorus
- Species melanotis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 335 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Odontophoridae
- Order
- Galliformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Near Threatened
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-eared Wood Quail is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Black-eared Wood Quail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-eared Wood Quail (Odontophorus melanotis) is a member of the Odontophoridae family, within the order Galliformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers MA Honduras to Panama.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 335 g, with a wing length of about 14 cm and a tail of around 5.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 128,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-eared Wood Quail?
The Black-eared Wood Quail is a large bird that weighs around 335 g.
Where does the Black-eared Wood Quail live?
The Black-eared Wood Quail is found across Central America & Caribbean with a range covering MA Honduras to Panama, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Black-eared Wood Quail belong to?
The Black-eared Wood Quail (Odontophorus melanotis) belongs to the Odontophoridae family, in the order Galliformes.
What does the Black-eared Wood Quail eat?
The Black-eared Wood Quail is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Black-eared Wood Quail migrate?
The Black-eared Wood Quail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-eared Wood Quail endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Black-eared Wood Quail make?
1 real field recording of the Black-eared Wood Quail — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black-eared Wood Quail's range?
The Black-eared Wood Quail has a mapped global range of about 128,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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