New World quail facts for kids

Quick facts for kids New World quail
A Northern bobwhite
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Galliformes
Superfamily:	Phasianoidea
Family:	Odontophoridae Gould, 1844
Genera
Dendrortyx Oreortyx Callipepla Philortyx Colinus Odontophorus Dactylortyx Cyrtonyx Rhynchortyx Ptilopachus

The New World quails are small, interesting birds. They look a bit like the quails found in other parts of the world, but they are actually from a different bird family. These American birds belong to their own family called the Odontophoridae. Quails from the "Old World" (like Europe and Asia) are part of the pheasant family.

You can find New World quails all the way from Canada down to southern Brazil. Two types, the California quail and the Northern bobwhite, have even been brought to New Zealand. Some quails, like the stone partridge and Nahan's partridge, live in Africa but are also part of this family. These birds live in many different places, from warm rainforests to dry deserts. However, most of them can't survive in very cold weather. There are 34 different kinds of New World quails, grouped into 10 main types (called genera).

Most New World quails have short, strong legs. Some even have very thick legs that help them dig. Unlike many other birds in their group, they don't have sharp spurs on their legs. Even though they can fly quickly for short distances, these quails usually prefer to walk or run away from danger. They only fly off super fast if they have no other choice. Their feathers can be plain or very colorful. Many species have cool crests or plumes (fancy feathers) on their heads. Male quails often have brighter feathers than females.

Life and Habits of New World Quails

New World quails are shy birds that are active during the day. They usually live on the ground. Even "tree quails," which sleep in tall trees, mostly find their food on the ground. They eat a variety of things, including insects, seeds, plants, and roots. Quails living in deserts especially like to eat seeds.

Reproduction and Family Life

Most of what we know about how New World quails raise their young comes from studies of birds in North America. These birds are generally believed to have one partner for life (they are monogamous). They build their nests right on the ground.

Quails lay many eggs, which is common for birds in their family. Tree quails and wood quails lay about three to six eggs. The northern bobwhite can lay as many as 10 to 15 eggs! The eggs hatch after 16 to 30 days, depending on the type of quail. Baby quails are born ready to move around. They leave the nest quickly and stay with their parents in big family groups.

Quails and People

The Northern bobwhite and California quail are popular gamebirds, meaning people hunt them for sport. To make sure there are enough of these birds, their numbers have been increased in some areas. This means they are not currently in danger of disappearing.

However, some other quail species are facing threats from human activities. For example, the bearded tree quail in Mexico is losing its home because of habitat loss. It is also sometimes hunted illegally.

Types of New World Quails

Here are some of the different types of New World quails:

Subfamily	Image	Genus	Species
Ptilopachinae		Ptilopachus	Nahan's partridge, Ptilopachus nahani Stone partridge, Ptilopachus petrosus
Odontophorinae (New World quails)		Rhynchortyx	Tawny-faced quail, Rhynchortyx cinctus
		Oreortyx	Mountain quail, Oreortyx pictus
		Dendrortyx	Bearded wood partridge, Dendrortyx barbatus Buffy-crowned wood partridge, Dendrortyx leucophrys Long-tailed wood partridge, Dendrortyx macroura
		Philortyx	Banded quail, Philortyx fasciatus
		Colinus (Bobwhites)	Crested bobwhite, Colinus cristatus Spot-bellied bobwhite, Colinus leucopogon Black-throated bobwhite, Colinus nigrogularis Northern bobwhite, Colinus virginianus
		Callipepla (Crested quails)	Scaled quail, Callipepla squamata Elegant quail, Callipepla douglasii California quail, Callipepla californica Gambel's quail, Callipepla gambelii
		Cyrtonyx	Ocellated quail, Cyrtonyx ocellatus Montezuma quail, Cyrtonyx montezumae
		Dactylortyx	Singing quail, Dactylortyx thoracicus
		Odontophorus (wood quails)	Spotted wood quail, Odontophorus guttatus Marbled wood quail, Odontophorus gujanensis Starred wood quail, Odontophorus stellatus Spot-winged wood quail, Odontophorus capueira Black-eared wood quail, Odontophorus melanotis Rufous-fronted wood quail, Odontophorus erythrops Stripe-faced wood quail, Odontophorus balliviani Chestnut wood quail, Odontophorus hyperythrus Dark-backed wood quail, Odontophorus melanonotus Rufous-breasted wood quail, Odontophorus speciosus Tacarcuna wood quail, Odontophorus dialeucos Gorgeted wood quail, Odontophorus strophium Venezuelan wood quail, Odontophorus columbianus Black-breasted wood quail, Odontophorus leucolaemus Black-fronted wood quail, Odontophorus atrifrons

See also

In Spanish: Codornices del Nuevo Mundo para niños