Banded Quail

Philortyx fasciatus

New World Quail · Galliformes · Rare

The Banded Quail (Philortyx fasciatus) is a rare new world quail found only in Mexico, weighing about 130 g. The banded quail is a species of bird in the family Odontophoridae.

Least ConcernRareEndemicEats seedsshrubland130 g

About the Banded Quail

The banded quail is a species of bird in the family Odontophoridae. It is found only in Mexico where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland, and heavily degraded former forest.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

How to identify it

The banded quail is an inconspicuous brown bird with a comparatively long tail. It has a dark crest on its head, its throat is pale and its under tail-coverts are barred in black and white. The juvenile plumage is streaked with white at first but after a moult at eight to twelve weeks the plumage is similar to that of the adults apart from a nearly black face and throat. The full adult plumage develops at sixteen to twenty weeks.

Where it lives

When to see it

The Banded Quail can be seen all year round, with peak activity in May. It is a resident species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Banded Quail?
The banded quail is an inconspicuous brown bird with a comparatively long tail. Full identification notes are on this page.
How big is a Banded Quail?
The Banded Quail is a medium sized bird weighing about 130 g.
Where can you see a Banded Quail?
The Banded Quail is endemic to Mexico, which is the only country where it occurs.
What birds look similar to a Banded Quail?
The Banded Quail is most easily confused with the Ocellated Quail, the Tawny-faced Quail and the Black-eared Wood Quail.
Is the Banded Quail endangered?
The Banded Quail is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Banded Quail for real

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