The banded quail is a species of bird in the family Odontophoridae. It is found only in Mexico where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland, and heavily degraded former forest.
Region
Pacific slope of western Mexico
Typical Environment
Occurs in subtropical and tropical dry forests, thorn scrub, and semi-open shrublands with cactus and acacia. It favors brushy foothills, arroyos, second-growth edges, and weedy field margins, often near light agriculture. Dense low cover is essential for foraging and escape, and it uses early successional habitats created by disturbance. In drier seasons it concentrates near water sources and greener patches within scrub.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
The banded quail is a ground-dwelling New World quail that prefers to run through brush rather than take long flights, bursting into the air only when pressed. It forms tight family groups called coveys for much of the year and nests on the ground in well-hidden scrapes. Habitat loss and heavy grazing can reduce local numbers, but it remains relatively widespread in suitable dry scrub and thorn forest.
Temperament
secretive and wary
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with explosive, low flushes
Social Behavior
Outside the breeding season it gathers in small coveys that keep tight contact while moving through cover. Nests are shallow ground scrapes hidden under shrubs or grass tussocks. Pairs are typically monogamous, and both adults remain close to the brood after hatching.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Calls are sharp chips and rolling, whistled notes used to maintain contact within coveys. Males give a clearer advertising whistle during the breeding season, with soft clucking contact calls while foraging.
Plumage
Warm brown to gray-brown upperparts with fine mottling; buffy underparts crossed by narrow black bands and boldly barred flanks. Short, rounded wings and a short tail enhance a compact, ground-quail silhouette. Males show richer rufous tones on the crown and nape; females are duller and less strongly patterned.
Diet
Eats a mix of seeds, grasses, tender shoots, and leaves, supplemented by insects such as beetles, ants, and termites. It scratches and gleanes on the ground under low cover, often exploiting weedy patches and the edges of cultivation. Seasonal availability of seeds and invertebrates influences diet, with more animal matter taken during chick-rearing.
Preferred Environment
Forages under dense shrubs, thorny thickets, and along hedgerows and field margins. Uses dry washes and lightly disturbed areas where seeds accumulate, staying close to escape cover.
