Northern Bobwhite Quail

Northern Bobwhite Quail

Colinus Virginianus

Eats

They eat mostly seeds and leaves, supplemented with varying amounts of insects during the breeding season.

Lives

Bobwhites are year-round residents of southeastern North America. They live in agricultural fields, grasslands, open pine or pine-hardwood forests, and grass-brush rangelands.

Behavior

They forage in groups, scurrying between cover or bursting into flight if alarmed.

Description

These birds have beautifully patterned feathers that provide excellent camouflage, making them hard to spot in their natural habitat. Their feathers come in shades of brown, tan, rust, and black, blending perfectly with the environment. Male birds stand out with a striking black-and-white head pattern, while females have a softer look with a tan throat and eyebrows. This unique coloring not only helps them stay hidden from predators but also adds to their charm, making them a lovely sight when you can catch a glimpse of them!

Did you Know?

Mill Mountain Zoo is home to many animals who wouldn't survive being released into the wild or are at risk of extinction.

How can I Help?

The biggest threats to the Northern Bobwhite Quails are habitat loss and changes in agriculture destroying their chances of becoming urbanized (meaning being able to live in populated areas). There has been a sharp decline in their population throughout the past 50 years. Creating nesting habitat by planting mixtures of native grasses in fields and keeping it from becoming a forested area, is a huge help to this species.

Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Vulnerable
Endangered
Endangered
Critically Endangered
Critically Endangered
Extinct in the Wild
Extinct in the Wild
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