Odontophorus strophium
The Gorgeted Wood Quail (Odontophorus strophium) is a strikingly patterned, secretive ground-dweller endemic to the montane forests of Colombia. This robust quail measures approximately 25-28 cm (10-11 inches) in length and weighs between 250-300 grams. Males are particularly distinctive, boasting a black face, throat, and a prominent black gorget (bib) edged with white, contrasted by a white post-ocular stripe and a rich chestnut crown. Their upperparts are olive-brown, while the breast and ...
This species inhabits humid evergreen and cloud forests, favoring dense undergrowth within subtropical and tropical moist montane forests at elevations ranging from 1,300 to 2,600 meters (4,265-8,530 ft).
Their diet primarily consists of invertebrates such as beetles, ants, and larvae, supplemented by a variety of seeds, berries, and fallen fruits found by scratching through leaf litter.
The Gorgeted Wood Quail is a highly secretive, terrestrial species primarily active during the day, spending most of its time foraging on the forest floor and roosting in dense vegetation at night. It employs a characteristic scratching technique, similar to domestic chickens, to uncover inverteb...
The Gorgeted Wood Quail is entirely endemic to a highly restricted and fragmented range within the Eastern Andes of Colombia, primarily concentrated in the departments of Cundinamarca and Boyacá. Its known distribution spans isolated patches of suitable habitat between 1,300 and 2,600 meters (4,2...
Critically Endangered
- The Gorgeted Wood Quail is classified as Critically Endangered, making it one of the most imperiled New World quail species. - It is found exclusively in a tiny, fragmented range within the Eastern Andes of Colombia. - Its scientific name, *Odontophorus strophium*, translates roughly to "tooth-...