The black-fronted wood quail is a bird species in the family Odontophoridae, the New World quail. It is found in Colombia and Venezuela.
Region
Northern Andes
Typical Environment
Occurs in humid montane forests of Colombia and adjacent western Venezuela in the northern Andes. It favors dense understory with bamboo (Chusquea), thickets, and forest edges within primary and mature secondary forest. The species keeps close to cover along steep ravines and near streams where leaf litter is deep. It may use overgrown shade coffee or secondary growth adjacent to forest if sufficient underbrush is present.
Altitude Range
800–2400 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A secretive ground-dwelling quail of humid Andean forests, it is more often heard than seen, moving in tight family coveys through dense understory. Pairs and groups perform ringing antiphonal duets that carry far at dawn and dusk. It is sensitive to habitat loss and hunting, and persists best where continuous forest cover and thick undergrowth remain.
Temperament
shy and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Typically found in small coveys of 5–10 birds that move single-file through dense cover. Nests are on the ground, hidden under vegetation and lined with leaves. Pairs are believed to be monogamous during the breeding season, with both adults attending young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Loud, whistled duets given antiphonally by pairs, often a clear, ringing series that rises and falls. Calls carry at dawn and dusk and help covey members stay in contact within dense forest.
