Overview
The male and female Yucatan bobwhite differ in appearance. They are compact, ground-dwelling birds. The male has a black throat edged with white, a white forehead, a black eyestripe and a black crown. The upper neck, mantle and flanks are reddish-brown liberally speckled with white. The rest of the upper parts are brownis, barred with reddish-brown and grey. The underparts have a scalloped appearance as the white feathers are edged with black. The lower belly and under-tail coverts are cinnamon. The female is similar in appearance but the hind neck and mantle are black with paler speckling, the throat is buff and the breast and belly are white barred with reddish-brown and black.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Bird
- Family
- Odontophoridae
- Genus
- Colinus
- Species
- nigrogularis
Habitat
Clearings in forests, pine savannah, rough grassland, weedy fields and plantations of henequen (Agave fourcroydes).
Diet
Seeds, insects, plant material, berries.
Behavior
Like most game birds, they 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. It is generally solitary or paired 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.
Hunting
Upland game bird most effectivily hunted with bird dogs.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by IUCN.