Spot-bellied bobwhite facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spot-bellied bobwhite |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Colinus
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| Species: |
leucopogon
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The spot-bellied bobwhite (Colinus leucopogon) is a bird that lives on the ground. It belongs to the New World quail family. Sometimes, people think it is the same species as the crested bobwhite, Colinus cristatus.
This bird lives in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. You can find it in open areas like savannas with bushes and trees, or in other open woodlands.
What Does the Spot-Bellied Bobwhite Look Like?
This bird is about 22 to 24 centimeters (8.7 to 9.4 inches) long. Its feathers look a bit different depending on where it lives. There are six types, called subspecies.
All spot-bellied bobwhites have a brown back. They also have black spots on the back of their neck. Their head has a white stripe above the eye. A dark line goes through the eye. The throat can be white or brown. They also have a short crest on their head.
The lower part of their belly has spots. The rest of their underside can be pale, fully spotted, or spotted with a reddish-brown chest. This depends on the subspecies. Male birds weigh about 140 grams (5 ounces) on average. Female birds are not as brightly colored as males. They have a light brown stripe above their eye and a spotted throat. Females weigh about 115 grams (4 ounces).
The male bird's song is often heard in spring and summer. It sounds like a rising, scratchy bob-Wight! or bob-bob-White!.
Different Kinds of Spot-Bellied Bobwhites
Scientists recognize six different types, or subspecies, of the spot-bellied bobwhite. These are:
- C. l. incanus Friedmann 1944 (Guatemalan white-breasted bobwhite)
- C. l. hypoleucus (Gould 1860) (El Salvador white-breasted bobwhite)
- C. l. leucopogon (Lesson 1842) (white-throated bobwhite)
- C. l. leylandi (Moore 1859) (Leyland's spot-bellied bobwhite)
- C. l. sclateri (Bonaparte 1856) (Sclater's spot-bellied bobwhite)
- C. l. dickeyi Conover 1932 (Dickey's spot-bellied bobwhite)
One of these subspecies, Colinus leucopogon leylandi, was first described in 1859. This type is found in northwestern Honduras.
How Do Spot-Bellied Bobwhites Live?
Outside of the breeding season, spot-bellied bobwhites form groups called "coveys." These groups usually have three to 15 birds.
When it's time to lay eggs, both male and female birds can sit on the nest. However, females usually do most of the incubation. They lay about 10 white eggs. The baby chicks are called precocial. This means they are quite developed when they hatch. They can leave the nest just a few hours after they are born.
This bird is quite shy. It mostly eats seeds and insects. They eat more insects during the breeding season. Spot-bellied bobwhites are most active in the early morning and in the evening.
