Marbled Wood-Quail

The marbled wood-quail is a ground bird of 23–29cm with a stout, dark bill and bluish-grey legs (Wikipedia, general species account). The bare skin around its eye is reddish-orange, and the front of the crown and cheeks are reddish-brown. The dark brown, vermiculated crown feathers are ruffled into a short, loose crest. The mantle and neck are greyish-brown, the back and wings brown with black vermiculations, and the underparts drab brown with faint buff and darker barring. The sexes look alike, and juveniles have reddish-orange bills and plain reddish-brown crests (Wikipedia). It averages about 310g (AVONET, Tobias et al. 2022).

It is an elusive bird that moves through the undergrowth and is seldom seen, although its calls are often heard at dawn and dusk. It sometimes comes into the open but stays near fallen trees or scrub, and when disturbed it usually slips away on foot, flying only if necessary. Small groups move in single file, searching the leaf litter for invertebrates and fallen fruit (Wikipedia, general species account). The nest is a shallow scrape under dead leaves at the foot of a tree, holding about four white eggs that are sometimes spotted brown, and the breeding season varies with locality (Wikipedia). Clearing forest for cattle grazing and soybean farming, and hunting made easier by new roads, are the threats named (Wikipedia, general species account).