Northern Bobwhite
The Northern Bobwhite, Virginia Quail or (in its home range) Bobwhite Quail (Colinus virginianus) is a ground-dwelling bird native to the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean. It is a member of the group of species known as New World quails (Odontophoridae). They were initially placed with the Old World quails in the pheasant family (Phasianidae), but are not particularly closely related. The name "bobwhite" derives from its characteristic whistling call. Despite its secretive nature, the northern bobwhite is one of the most familiar quails in eastern North America because it is frequently the only quail in its range. There are 22 subspecies of northern bobwhite, and many of the birds are hunted extensively as game birds. One subspecies, the Masked Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus ridgewayi), is listed as endangered with wild populations located in Sonora, Mexico and a reintroduced population in Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge in Southern Arizona.
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| Northern Bobwhite |
image source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:DickDaniels
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| Northern Bobwhite |
image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cuatrok77/
Appearance
Bill: Short, curved, brown-black.
Size: 10 inches long with 15-inch wingspan, round body.
Colors: Brown, buff, rufous, white, black, gray.
Markings: Dimorphic species. Males have a white throat and brow stripe bordered by black. The overall rufous plumage has gray mottling on the wings and a gray tail, and the flanks show white scalloped stripes. Whitish underparts have black scallops. Females are similar but are duller overall and have a buff throat and brow without the black border. Both genders have pale legs and feet.
Size: 10 inches long with 15-inch wingspan, round body.
Colors: Brown, buff, rufous, white, black, gray.
Markings: Dimorphic species. Males have a white throat and brow stripe bordered by black. The overall rufous plumage has gray mottling on the wings and a gray tail, and the flanks show white scalloped stripes. Whitish underparts have black scallops. Females are similar but are duller overall and have a buff throat and brow without the black border. Both genders have pale legs and feet.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
There are twenty-one recognized subspecies, from 3 groups. 1 subspecies is extinct:
Eastern Group
Eastern Group
- C. v. aridus (Lawrence, 1853) - Jaumave Bobwhite - west-central Tamaulipas to southeastern San Luis Potosi
- C. v. cubanensis (GR Gray, 1846) - Cuban Bobwhite - Cuba and the Isle of Pines
- C. v. floridanus (Coues, 1872) - Florida Bobwhite - peninsular Florida
- C. v. insulanus (Howe, 1904) - Key West Bobwhite - Florida Keys†
- C. v. maculatus (Nelson, 1899) - Spot-bellied Bobwhite - central Tamaulipas to northern Veracruz and southeastern San Luis Potosi
- C. v. marilandicus (Linnaeus, 1758) - coastal New England to Pennsylvania and central Virginia
- C. v. mexicanus (Linnaeus, 1766) - eastern United States west of Atlantic Seaboard to Great Plains
- C. v. taylori (Lincoln, 1915) - Plains Bobwhite - South Dakota to northern Texas, western Missouri and northwest Arkansas
- C. v. texanus (Lawrence, 1853) - Texas Bobwhite - southwest Texas to northern Mexico
- C. v. virginianus (Linnaeus, 1758) - nominate - Atlantic coast from Virginia to northern Florida and southeast Alabama
- Grayson's Group
- C. v. graysoni (Lawrence, 1867) - Grayson's Bobwhite - west central Mexico
- C. v. nigripectus (Nelson, 2015) - Puebla Bobwhite - eastern Mexico
- Black-breasted Group
- C. v. godman (Nelson, 1897) - Godman's Bobwhite - eastern slopes and mountains of central Veracruz
- C. v. minor (Nelson, 1901) - Least Bobwhite - northeast Chiapas and Tabasco
- C. v. pectoralis (Gould, 1883) - Black-breasted Bobwhite - eastern slopes and mountains of central Veracruz
- C. v. thayeri (Bangs and Peters, 1928) - Thayer's Bobwhite - northeast Oaxaca
- Masked Group
- C. v. atriceps (Ogilvie-Grant, 1893) - Black-headed Bobwhite - interior of western Oaxaca
- C. v. coyolcos (Statius Müller, 1776) - Coyolcos Bobwhite - Pacific Coast of Oaxaca and Chiapas
- C. v. harrisoni (Orr and Webster, 1968) - southwest Oaxaca
- C. v. insignis (Nelson, 1897) - Guatemalan Bobwhite - Guatemala and southern Chiapas
- C. v. ridgwayi (Brewster, 1885) - Masked Bobwhite - north central Sonora
- C. v. salvini (Nelson, 1897) - Salvin's Bobwhite - coastal and southern Chiapas
Diet
The Northern Bobwhite's diet consists of arthropod prey as well as lush vegetation.
Habitat
Northern bobwhites can be found year-round in agricultural fields, grassland, open woodland areas, roadsides and wood edges.. Their range covers the southeastern quadrant of the United States from the Great Lakes and southern Minnesota east to Pennsylvania and southern Massachusetts, and extending west to southern Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and all but westernmost Texas. These birds are absent from the southern tip of Florida and the highest elevations of the Appalachian Mountains, but are found in eastern Mexico and in Cuba. Isolated populations of these game birds have been introduced in Oregon and Washington. The Bobwhite has also been introduced to New Zealand.
Vocalizations
The clear whistle "bob-WHITE" or "bob-bob-WHITE" call of these birds is
most recognizable. The syllables are slow and widely spaced, rising in
pitch a full octave from beginning to end. Other calls include lisps,
peeps and more rapidly whistled warning calls.
Behavior
Like most game birds, the northern bobwhite is shy and elusive. When
threatened, it will crouch and freeze, relying on camouflage to stay
undetected, but will flush into low flight if closely disturbed. These
birds are generally solitary or found in pairs early in the year, but
family groups are common in the late summer and winter roosts may have
two dozen or more birds in a single covey.
Reproduction
These are generally monogamous birds, though some evidence of polygamy
has been noted. Both parents will incubate a brood for 23–24 days, and
the precocial young leave the nest shortly after hatching. Both parents
will lead the young birds to food and care for them for 14–16 days until
their first flight. These birds can raise 1-2 broods of 12-16 eggs per
brood annually.
Attracting Northern Bobwhites
Game birds are not typical backyard birds, but in the appropriate
habitat these birds will visit ground feeders for seeds or cracked corn.
They will also visit ground-level bird baths. Birders who want to
encourage northern bobwhites to visit should avoid insecticide sprays
and choose low shrubs for landscaping to help the birds feel secure.
