Photo: Don Faulkner / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Dark-backed Wood Quail
Odontophorus melanonotus
Dark-backed Wood Quail (Odontophorus melanonotus) — Gamebirds of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Dark-backed Wood Quail (Odontophorus melanonotus) is a member of the Odontophoridae family found in South America. Adults weigh 322 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Galliformes
- Family Odontophoridae New World Quail
- Genus Odontophorus
- Species melanonotus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 322 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Odontophoridae
- Order
- Galliformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Dark-backed 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 Dark-backed Wood Quail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Dark-backed Wood Quail (Odontophorus melanonotus) is a member of the Odontophoridae family, within the order Galliformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA sw Colombia and nw Ecuador.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 322 g, with a wing length of about 13 cm and a tail of around 5.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 5,431 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Dark-backed Wood Quail?
The Dark-backed Wood Quail is a large bird that weighs around 322 g.
Where does the Dark-backed Wood Quail live?
The Dark-backed Wood Quail is found across South America with a range covering SA sw Colombia and nw Ecuador, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Dark-backed Wood Quail belong to?
The Dark-backed Wood Quail (Odontophorus melanonotus) belongs to the Odontophoridae family, in the order Galliformes.
What does the Dark-backed Wood Quail eat?
The Dark-backed Wood Quail is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Dark-backed Wood Quail migrate?
The Dark-backed Wood Quail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Dark-backed Wood Quail endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Dark-backed Wood Quail make?
1 real field recording of the Dark-backed Wood Quail — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Dark-backed Wood Quail's range?
The Dark-backed Wood Quail has a mapped global range of about 5,431 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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