About Odontophorus guttatus (Gould, 1838)
The spotted wood quail (Odontophorus guttatus), a species scientifically described by Gould in 1838, is a small ground-dwelling bird belonging to the New World quail family. It is a non-migratory resident breeder in the mountains of Central America, ranging from southern Mexico to western Panama. This bird occupies highland habitats starting at 1000 m elevation up to the timberline, most often found in dense understory thickets or bamboo stands. Like the nests of several other wood-quail species, the nest of the spotted wood quail has not been formally described. However, the species' eggs are known to be creamy-white with brown spots. Adult spotted wood quail measure 25 cm in length and weigh 300 g. They have an orange crest that is raised when the bird is excited. Their upperparts are dark brown with black and rufous flecking. Most individuals have olive brown underparts, but there is a distinct colour morph with rufous underparts; in both morphs, the underparts are marked with bold white spots. The forehead is dark brown, while the cheeks and throat are black streaked with white. Males and females have similar overall appearance, but males average slightly larger, and females have a duller crest. Immature spotted wood quail have smaller, more buff-tinted spotting, and a dusky rather than black throat. No subspecies of this bird are recognized. The species' advertising call, which is actually performed as a duet, is a sequence of clear whistled notes: coowit CAWwit coowit COO. Its contact calls are clear chirps and peeps. Spotted wood quail live in groups of 4 to 10 individuals. They forage on the ground, scratching through soil to feed on seeds, fallen fruit, and insects. This is a shy and wary species that normally escapes on foot, but it will burst into a short fast flight to reach cover if startled. The best opportunity to see this species is at dawn, when it may feed alongside roads or on forest tracks. It is reported to be locally common in suitable habitat within Costa Rica and Panama, but widespread rampant deforestation has negatively impacted its populations across most of its range.
