Northern Bobwhite

General Description

A round-bodied, ground-dwelling bird, the Northern Bobwhite was introduced into Washington from the eastern United States. Highly streaked and cryptic, the Northern Bobwhite is patterned in shades of brown varying from rufous, to chocolate, to tan. A light-colored throat and eyebrow band are distinctive marks. This is the only quail in Washington that is uniformly streaked in brown. Males and females appear similar, but males have less streaking on their breasts, and their eyebrows and throat bands are white instead of tan.

Northern Bobwhites are Rare in Western Washington year round.

Habitat

An early-successional species, the Northern Bobwhite lives in shrubby thickets adjacent to open areas such as grasslands, agriculture, roadsides, and wood edges. Bobwhites take advantage of edges created by fire, timber harvesting, and agriculture.

Behavior

In non-breeding seasons, Northern Bobwhites congregate in coveys of up to 20 birds. During the breeding season, they flock in smaller family groups. As they often stay amid dense cover, they are more often heard than seen. Like most quail, Northern Bobwhites travel primarily on foot, although they will fly short distances when disturbed, often with an explosive takeoff. At night, members of the covey roost on the ground in a circle, tails inward with their heads pointing out.

Female

Male