Northern bobwhite

Appearance

This is a moderately-sized quail and is the only small galliform native to eastern North America. The bobwhite can range from 24 to 28 cm in length with a 33 to 38 cm wingspan. As indicated by body mass, weights increase in birds found further north, as corresponds to Bergmann's rule. In Mexico, northern bobwhites weigh from 129 to 159 g whereas in the north they average 170 to 173 g and large males can attain as much as 255 g. Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 9.7 to 11.7 cm, the tail is 5 to 6.8 cm the culmen is 1.3 to 1.6 cm and the tarsus is 2.7 to 3.3 cm. 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.

Naming

There are twenty-one recognized subspecies in 3 groups. 1 subspecies is extinct.
⤷ Eastern Group
⤷ * "C. v. aridus" - Jaumave bobwhite - west-central Tamaulipas to southeastern San Luis Potosí
⤷ * "C. v. cubanensis" - Cuban bobwhite - Cuba and the Isle of Pines
⤷ * "C. v. floridanus" - Florida bobwhite - peninsular Florida
⤷ * "C. v. insulanus" - Key West bobwhite - Florida Keys†
⤷ * "C. v. maculatus" - spot-bellied bobwhite - central Tamaulipas to northern Veracruz and southeastern San Luis Potosí
⤷ * "C. v. marilandicus" - coastal New England to Pennsylvania and central Virginia
⤷ * "C. v. mexicanus" - eastern United States west of Atlantic Seaboard to Great Plains
⤷ * "C. v. taylori" - plains bobwhite - South Dakota to northern Texas, western Missouri and northwest Arkansas
⤷ * "C. v. texanus" - Texas bobwhite - southwest Texas to northern Mexico
⤷ * "C. v. virginianus" - nominate - Atlantic coast from Virginia to northern Florida and southeast Alabama
⤷ Grayson's Group
⤷ * "C. v. graysoni" - Grayson's bobwhite - west central Mexico
⤷ * "C. v. nigripectus" - puebla bobwhite - eastern Mexico
⤷ Black-breasted Group
⤷ * "C. v. godmani" - Godman's bobwhite - eastern slopes and mountains of central Veracruz
⤷ * "C. v. minor" - least bobwhite - northeast Chiapas and Tabasco
⤷ * "C. v. pectoralis" - black-breasted bobwhite - eastern slopes and mountains of central Veracruz
⤷ * "C. v. thayeri" - Thayer's bobwhite - northeast Oaxaca
⤷ Masked Group
⤷ * "C. v. atriceps" - black-headed bobwhite - interior of western Oaxaca
⤷ * "C. v. coyolcos" - Coyolcos bobwhite - Pacific Coast of Oaxaca and Chiapas
⤷ * "C. v. harrisoni" - southwest Oaxaca
⤷ * "C. v. insignis" - Guatemalan bobwhite - Guatemala and southern Chiapas
⤷ * "C. v. ridgwayi" - masked bobwhite - north central Sonora
⤷ * "C. v. salvini" - Salvin's bobwhite - coastal and southern ChiapasThe Central American spot-bellied bobwhite looks very similar, but lacks black facial coloration. The Asian rain quail is smaller in size and has a black breast.

Distribution

Bobwhites are popular throughout the world, with healthy captive populations everywhere where bird-keeping is enjoyed. Certain countries/states require permits and record keeping, as the possibility that an introduced population may compete with or spread diseases with native quail is a real threat.

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. 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.

Habitat

The northern bobwhite can be found year-round in agricultural fields, grassland, open woodland areas, roadsides and wood edges. Its 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. It is absent from the southern tip of Florida and the highest elevations of the Appalachian Mountains, but occurs in eastern Mexico and in Cuba. Isolated populations have been introduced in Oregon and Washington. The northern bobwhite has also been introduced to New Zealand.

Reproduction

The species is generally monogamous, but there is some evidence of polygamy. Both parents incubate a brood for 23 to 24 days, and the precocial young leave the nest shortly after hatching. Both parents lead the young birds to food and care for them for 14 to 16 days until their first flight. A pair may raise one or two broods annually, with 12 to 16 eggs per clutch.In an open aviary hens will lay all over the show if a nesting site and privacy are not provided. Hens that do this may lay upwards of 80 eggs in a season which can be taken for artificial incubation - and chicks hand raised. Otherwise hens with nesting cover, that do make a nest will build up 8–25 eggs in a clutch, with eggs being laid daily.

Food

The northern bobwhite's diet consists of plants and small invertebrates, such as snails, grasshoppers, and potato beetles. Plant sources include grass seeds, wild berries, partridge peas, and cultivated grains. It forages on the ground in open areas with some spots of taller vegetation.In the wild the bobwhite feeds on a variety of seeds of weeds, grasses, as well as insects. These are generally collected on the ground or from low foliage. Birds in the aviary are easily catered for with a commercial small seed mix when supplemented with greenfeed. Live food is not usually necessary for breeding, but will be ravenously accepted. High protein foods such as chicken grower crumble are more convenient to supply and will be useful for the stimulation of breeding birds. Extra calcium is required, especially by laying hens; it can be supplied in the form of shell grit, or cuttlefish bone.