Harlequin Quail
Coturnix delegorguei
Small ground-dwelling bird. Male has a bold and beautiful pattern; female is plain brown. Found in habitats with thick ground cover, such as grasslands and crop fields. Shy and inconspicuous; usually seen when flushing from thick cover. Most often detected by voice, a three-part whistle in which a longer first “whit” note is followed by two quicker “whit” notes. Male is distinctive, but female is extremely similar to Common Quail, especially when seen only in flight. If seen well, female Harlequin Quail is darker and more uniform, without a bright white belly or bold streaking on the back. Females also similar to buttonquail, but with duller and less complex patterning. When flushed, Harlequin Quail also has stronger and more direct flight than buttonquail.
Taxonomy
There are three subspecies:
- Scientific name
- Coturnix delegorguei
- Authority
- Delegorgue, 1847
- Order
- Galliformes
- Family
- Phasianidae
- Genus
- Coturnix
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Leucocarbo atriceps
Very striking cormorant readily identified by white neck. Locally common black-and-white cormorant of colder coastal waters. Often seen perched on inshore rocks and jetties, sometimes with Magellanic Cormorant. Nests colonially on low islands (rarely in lakes inland from coast) and jetties. Plumage varies regionally, with some birds black-faced and others white-faced; the two types breed together locally in the Strait of Magellan. Immature resembles adult but plumage duller overall, brownish above.
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Fairly large songbird with round body, long legs, and longish tail. Gray above with warm orange underparts and blackish head. Hops across lawns and stands erect with its bill often tilted upward. In fall and winter, forms large flocks and gathers in trees to roost or eat berries. Common across North America in gardens, parks, yards, golf courses, fields, pastures, and many other wooded habitats.
Sardinian Warbler
Curruca melanocephala
Compact, robust, and big-headed warbler. Males are striking with a black hood contrasting with whitish throat, gray back, and red eyering. Females duller with a gray hood, white throat, and buff body. Common in many typical Mediterranean habitats including tall bushes, open woodlands, gardens, coastal scrub, and plantations; also in oases, acacia woodlands, and scrubby desert in non-breeding range. Usually first detected by its song, a fast, angry-sounding rattling "ctret-tret-tret-tret-tret" or "tetwtweer-tik-tik-tik" with whispering in between. The call is a dry "tseck."
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