Northern Bobwhite

Northern Bobwhite

Virginia quail, Bobwhite quail

Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Genus
SPECIES
Colinus virginianus
Population size
5.8 Mlnlnn
Life Span
1-6 years
Weight
129-173
4.6-6.1
goz
g oz 
Length
24-28
9.4-11
cminch
cm inch 
Wingspan
33-38
13-15
cminch
cm inch 

The Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) is a member of the order Galliformes, from the Latin ‘gallinaceus’, which means “of poultry.” They belong to the same order as domestic fowl, also including turkeys, grouse, pheasants, partridges, and other quail. The strong whistle of bobwhites in piney woods or a grassy field has long been associated with summer in the countryside of the east of the American continent. These birds are more often heard than seen; although they are not especially shy, often they remain within a dense low cover.

Di

Diurnal

He

Herbivore

Fo

Folivore

Gr

Granivore

Te

Terrestrial

Pr

Precocial

Ov

Oviparous

Mo

Monogamy

So

Social

Fl

Flocking

Do

Dominance hierarchy

No

Not a migrant

N

starts with

Appearance

The Northern bobwhite is a moderately-sized quail. It has the typical chunky, rounded shape of a quail. The bill is short, curved, and brown-black in color. This species is sexually dimorphic. Males have a white throat and brow stripe bordered by black. The overall rufous plumage has gray mottling on the wings, white scalloped stripes on the flanks, and black scallops on the whitish underparts. The tail is gray. Females are similar but are duller overall and have a buff throat and brow without the black border. Both sexes have pale legs and feet.

Video

Distribution

Geography

Northern bobwhites are found from Central America to southeastern Ontario. The largest populations are in Mexico and the eastern United States. They are also found throughout Cuba, with isolated populations in northwestern Mexico, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. These birds are sedentary, year-round residents, especially in areas where there is a habitat of moderate to high quality. They are found in a range of habitats, usually within pine woodlands or at the edges, in shrubs, pastures, cultivated areas, and fallow fields.

Northern Bobwhite habitat map

Climate zones

Northern Bobwhite habitat map
Northern Bobwhite
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Habits and Lifestyle

Northern bobwhites are gregarious birds and live in flocks or “coveys”, averaging about a dozen, outside of the breeding season. At night they roost in circles on the ground, tails pointing inward, heads pointing outwards. They have a male social hierarchical system. Northern bobwhites prefer to hide amongst vegetation when threatened or disturbed. They can stay motionless, their plumage blending into the environment. These birds are typically diurnal, and most feeding takes place during the early morning and late afternoon. Able to fly relatively short distances, an average flight being 5.1 seconds, they are usually on the ground. Bobwhites use many calls to initiate and direct group movement: one call is for food location, there are 11 to help avoid enemies, six are sexual or combative and two are parental calls.

Seasonal behavior
Bird's call

Diet and Nutrition

Northern bobwhites are predominantly herbivores (folivores and granivores). They mainly eat plant matter like the seeds of various plants, acorns, leaves, fruits, buds, and tubers. In summer, they catch spiders, insects, snails, and small vertebrates.

Mating Habits

MATING BEHAVIOR
REPRODUCTION SEASON
February-October
INCUBATION PERIOD
23-26 days
FEMALE NAME
hen
MALE NAME
cock
BABY NAME
chick
web.animal_clutch_size
12-14 eggs

Originally considered monogamous, now clear evidence shows a polygynandrous (promiscuous) mating system for Northern bobwhites, meaning that males and females both incubate and raise chicks with not just one mate during a breeding season. The season is from February to October, according to the region. Courtship displays involve a variety of postures by the male, with his wings spread or dropped, for the purpose of exposing to the female his plumage and head pattern, There is also ritual courtship feeding of the female by the male. These birds nest in a shallow depression in the ground lined with dead vegetation and grass. The nest is often hidden and covered. Usually, 12-14 eggs are laid. If there is a second clutch, there are fewer eggs. Incubation is for about 23-26 days. Chicks are precocial, and, soon after hatching, they wander off from the nest. They are guarded by both parents or just the female. Chicks grow quickly and are able to flutter at one week old and fly at two. Northern bobwhites can mate within their first year.

Population

Population threats

Populations of this species are declining. The major reasons for this are thought to be habitat loss, especially as a result of the increase in farming on a large scale, and the reduction of suitable habitat plots and fence rows. Hunting in the U.S. is another threat.

Population number

The All About Birds resource records that the total breeding population of the Northern bobwhite is 5.8 million individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers today are decreasing.

Ecological niche

Northern bobwhites are an important prey species for birds of prey as well as small terrestrial predators. These birds are also important foliage and seed predators and may have an effect on the plant communities where they live.

Fun Facts for Kids

  • The name "bobwhite" comes from their whistling calls that make the sound "bob-white" and "bob-bob-white". These calls are particularly frequent and loud during the spring.
  • Northern bobwhites take about 5 days to build their nest.
  • A Northern bobwhite is able to store food in its crop (food storage area) for digesting later. This means it can go without food for quite a while.
  • Northern bobwhites are often known as the "King of Native American game birds".
  • Northern bobwhites are amongst the most widely studied bird species.
  • At night, Northern bobwhites watch out for predators by forming a circle on the ground, their heads facing out and their tails pointing in.

Coloring Pages

References

1. Northern Bobwhite Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_bobwhite
2. Northern Bobwhite on The IUCN Red List site - http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22728956/0
3. Xeno-canto bird call - https://xeno-canto.org/703725

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