The black-breasted wood quail is a bird species in the family Odontophoridae. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.
Region
Central American highlands
Typical Environment
Occurs in the highlands of Costa Rica and western Panama, mainly along the Cordillera Central and Cordillera de Talamanca. It inhabits subtropical and tropical moist montane forests with dense understory, including secondary forest and forest edges. The species favors thickets, bamboo (Chusquea) stands, and ravines with abundant leaf litter. It usually keeps to the forest floor and uses dense cover for foraging and escape.
Altitude Range
900–2500 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This shy ground-dwelling quail travels in tight-knit family coveys and is far more often heard than seen. Groups give loud, antiphonal choruses at dawn and dusk that carry through montane forests. Its presence is a good indicator of relatively undisturbed understory. It prefers running to flying, bursting into short flights only when flushed.
In Costa Rica
Temperament
secretive and wary
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats; explosive low flushes
Social Behavior
Lives in cohesive coveys, typically 5–12 birds, maintaining contact with frequent calls. Nests on the ground in concealed sites within dense vegetation, where both parents guard the brood. Pairs form within coveys, and groups often move in single-file along well-used paths.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Coveys deliver loud, far-carrying, antiphonal choruses of booming whistles and rolling notes, especially at dawn and dusk. Contact calls are soft clucks and whistles used to keep the group together in dense cover.
