The crested bobwhite is a species of bird in the family Odontophoridae. It is found in northern South America, extending through Panama to just reach Costa Rica. It also occurs on Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, and heavily degraded former forest.
Region
Northern South America and southern Central America
Typical Environment
Found in northern South America including Colombia and Venezuela, extending through Panama to just reach Costa Rica, and present on Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles. It occupies subtropical and tropical dry shrublands, thorn-scrub, and seasonally wet or flooded lowland grasslands. The species readily uses mosaic agricultural landscapes, pastures, and weedy field margins. It favors areas with patchy ground cover for foraging and nearby denser cover for concealment. On islands, it occurs from coastal flats to low hills where scrub and grassland predominate.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Named for its small erectile crest, the crested bobwhite is a ground-dwelling quail that prefers dry scrub and grassland. It commonly forms tight coveys outside the breeding season and explodes into short, whirring flights when flushed. The species is adapted to human-altered landscapes and can be found along field edges and pastures. It occurs from northern South America into Panama and marginally Costa Rica, and also on several Caribbean islands such as Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles.
Painting
Temperament
wary but social
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with explosive flush
Social Behavior
Outside breeding season they form small coveys that keep close contact with soft calls and move cohesively while foraging. Breeding pairs are typically monogamous and nest on the ground in shallow, grass-lined scrapes hidden under cover. Clutches are relatively large for their size, and both adults may guard nearby while chicks feed. Roosting often occurs on the ground in sheltered spots.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
The male gives clear, whistled notes reminiscent of other bobwhites, often a two- to three-note call that carries at dawn and dusk. Contact calls within coveys are soft, clucking or peeping notes. Alarm calls are sharp and repeated when flushed.
Plumage
Mottled and barred brown, buff, and black with finely patterned underparts; texture is dense and slightly coarse, suited to camouflage in scrub. Males show sharper contrast with a pale supercilium and throat bordered by dark lines; females are warmer buff and less contrasting. Both sexes have a short, forward-tilted, erectile crest.
Diet
Feeds mainly on seeds of grasses and forbs, supplemented by leaves, shoots, and small fruits. Insects such as beetles, ants, and termites are important especially for chicks and during the breeding season. It forages by walking and pecking, occasionally scratching lightly at the soil and leaf litter. Opportunistic feeding near agricultural fields is common.
Preferred Environment
Forages on the ground in open scrub, savanna, and grassy field margins where cover is interspersed with bare patches. Frequently uses edges of croplands, pastures, and roadside verges, retreating to denser shrubs when disturbed.
