Northern Bobwhite
Colinus virginianus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Range: Eastern North America, Central America
Habitat: Grassland, Open Woodland, Forest Edge
Diet: Seeds, Berries, Insects
Social Grouping: Solitary, Pairs, Small Family Groups. May congregate in larger flocks in winter, up to two dozen birds
Reproduction: Polygynous/polyandrous. Either parent may incubate clutch of eggs for 23 days. Nesting tends to have poor success, so they clutch often - may lay four nests in a season in order to get one to hatch. Nests of dead grasses. Average clutch 12 eggs. Fledge at 14 days old. Sexually mature at 1 year old
Lifespan: 6 Years (Wild)
Conservation Status: IUCN Near Threatened, CITES Appendix I
- Body length 20-25 centimeters, wingspan 30-33 centimeters. Weight 140-170 grams. Birds at the northern extreme of the species range tend to be larger than those at the southern
- Plumage is red-brown with grey mottling and white striping on the flanks. Males have a white throat with a black stripe on the brow. Males are more brightly colored then females
- Common name comes from its characteristic, whistling call, "bob-WHITE"
- Parents will protect their nests by feigning broken wings to lure predators away. Predators include hawks, raccoons, skunks, and foxes
- Spend most of their time on the ground, average flight lasts only 5 seconds, and usually only a sudden burst to escape danger
- There are several subspecies found across the range of the species. One, the masked bobwhite (C. v. ridgwayi) of northern Mexico, is considered endangered
- Popular bird for sport hunting Have been introduced to Europe (France, Spain, United Kingdom, Ireland), New Zealand, and the western United States for sport
- Populations are in decline, largely due to habitat loss due to agriculture
- One of the most widely studied wild bird species on the planet, both as a laboratory specimen and for game management
No comments:
Post a Comment