Spot-winged wood quail facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spot-winged wood quail |
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Odontophorus (bird)
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| Species: |
capueira
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The spot-winged wood quail (also known as 'Odontophorus capueira') is a type of bird that belongs to the Odontophoridae family. You can find this bird in countries like Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. It used to live in Uruguay too. In Portuguese and Spanish, people often call this bird "uru."
These quails live in warm, dry forests close to the ground. Even though their numbers are slowly going down, experts don't think they are in serious danger yet. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature says it is a "least-concern species". This means it's not currently at high risk of disappearing.
Contents
What Does the Spot-winged Wood Quail Look Like?
Male and female spot-winged wood quails look quite similar. However, the female is a little bit smaller.
Colors and Markings
This bird has a reddish-brown crown on its head. It also has a loose crest, which is a small tuft of feathers. This crest is speckled with light brown spots. A stripe above its eye, called the supercilium, is reddish-cinnamon. The chest also has a reddish-cinnamon band.
The upper parts of its body are greyish-brown. These feathers have dark, wavy lines and speckles. The feathers on its neck, back, and shoulders have white stripes next to their main stem. The sides of its head, throat, and belly are a dark grey color.
Size and Other Features
The legs of the spot-winged wood quail are dark grey. Its beak is blackish, and its eyes are brown. The skin around its eyes is red. These birds are usually about 26 to 30 centimeters (10 to 12 inches) long.
Young quails, called juveniles, have similar colors. But their beaks are reddish. Their upper parts have more speckles. Their bellies are grey with a hint of rust and white speckles.
Where Do Spot-winged Wood Quails Live?
The spot-winged wood quail lives in eastern and southeastern Brazil. You can also find it in the very northeastern part of Argentina. It lives in the eastern part of Paraguay as well.
These birds prefer dry lowland forests. They can also live in forests that have grown back after being cut down. They usually live in areas that are not higher than 1,600 meters (about 5,200 feet).
How Do Spot-winged Wood Quails Live?
Spot-winged wood quails usually walk around on the ground during the day. They move in small groups. A group typically has six to eight birds, but sometimes up to fifteen.
Behavior and Diet
If something scares them, they quickly hide in the bushes. They rarely fly away, especially if there are young chicks in the group. Sometimes, the birds will freeze and crouch down to hide.
Their diet includes nuts that have fallen from trees, like Araucaria trees. They also eat berries from plants such as pokeweed. They probably eat small bugs and other invertebrates too.
Roosting and Reproduction
At night, these birds sleep high up in trees. They are monogamous, meaning they have one partner. Breeding happens between August and November.
The nest is built on the ground. It has a side entrance and a roof made of dead leaves. The female lays about four white eggs. These eggs quickly become discolored. The female sits on the eggs, and they hatch after about eighteen days. She also raises the chicks by herself.
Is the Spot-winged Wood Quail Safe?
The spot-winged wood quail lives in a very large area. It is common in some parts of its home range. However, the groups of birds living furthest north are at risk from hunting.
Even though some populations are decreasing, the total number of these birds is not falling too quickly. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature says the spot-winged wood quail is a "least concern" species. This means it is not currently in danger of becoming extinct.
