Buffy-crowned Wood-Partridge Dendrortyx leucophrys Scientific name definitions

The Buffy-crowned Wood-Partridge inhabits humid forest habitats of Middle America, from southern Mexico south to Costa Rica. Like others of the genus, the species is far more frequently heard than seen. Both sexes are generally gray-brown in overall coloration, streaked rufous over much of the body, and becoming browner over the wings and tail. The most eye-catching features, however, are the whitish-buff forehead and throat, and the pinkish-red bare skin around the eye. Females are slightly shorter tailed than males Two subspecies are generally recognized, although they differ only in the overall tone of the underparts.

28–35·5 cm; estimated weight of male 397 g, of female 340 g. Forecrown , supercilium, chin and throat white; ear-coverts black. Overall coloration chestnut and grey; breast and belly blue-grey with chestnut streaks . Crown, short crest and hindneck chestnut. Bare red eyering more elongated than in other Dendrortyx; bill black, legs orange-red. Female smaller, with shorter tail. Immature has buffy tips to greater primary-coverts. Race hypospodius larger, rather darker and greyer, especially on underparts, where stripes on foreneck and breast are darker (often black) and much narrower, with essentially uniform breast-sides, flanks and vent (with reduced shaft-streaks that lack tawny-coloured borders).

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Favours humid to semi-humid, montane oak and pine forest, evergreen and cloudforests at 300–2900 m. Found in second growth (or partially logged areas), including narrow tongues of forest along streams on otherwise denuded hillsides, and occasionally in coffee plantations. Roosts above ground in trees and tall shrubs.

Much like those of its two congeners. Most common vocalization is a rapid series of loud hoarse whistles “kee-orr-KWA”  or “whew, Whit-cha, cha-waWHAT-cha”, usually preceded by series of soft notes only audible at very close quarters. Gives soft descending gobble when in covey. Most vocal at dawn, continuing for first four hours of daylight, and around dusk, though can call throughout the day.

Recorded in May in Guatemala, Feb–Jun in El Salvador (2 Komar, O., López de Aquino, S., Girón, L.E. and Zaldaña Fonseca, C.M. (2005). El nido y huevos de la Gallina-de-monte Centroamericana (Dendrortyx leucophrys). Ornitología Neotropical. 16(4): 557–561. Close ); chicks half-grown during Apr–Jul in Honduras and El Salvador, or Jun–Sept in Costa Rica. Coveys probably disband at onset of breeding season. Domed nest constructed of dead leave and branches in El Salvador was 23 cm in length with a 19-cm deep cacity and had an entrance 9 cm wide by 10 cm high (2 Komar, O., López de Aquino, S., Girón, L.E. and Zaldaña Fonseca, C.M. (2005). El nido y huevos de la Gallina-de-monte Centroamericana (Dendrortyx leucophrys). Ornitología Neotropical. 16(4): 557–561. Close ). Eight ground nests found in Costa Rica in Mar–Jun; seven were cavities built inside dry dense grasses, and one was in a hole in the base of a dead tree, while a recently described nest in El Salvador was sited against a fallen trunk (2 Komar, O., López de Aquino, S., Girón, L.E. and Zaldaña Fonseca, C.M. (2005). El nido y huevos de la Gallina-de-monte Centroamericana (Dendrortyx leucophrys). Ornitología Neotropical. 16(4): 557–561. Close ); clutch 6–7 eggs (n = 3); eggs 42·4 mm × 30·3 mm on average (n = 20) or 42·6 mm × 32·4 mm (n = 6) (2 Komar, O., López de Aquino, S., Girón, L.E. and Zaldaña Fonseca, C.M. (2005). El nido y huevos de la Gallina-de-monte Centroamericana (Dendrortyx leucophrys). Ornitología Neotropical. 16(4): 557–561. Close ), pale pinkish with well-distributed reddish spots or cream with brownish markings; recently hatched chicks weighed 17·7 g (n = 3) and had dark brown natal down, with yellow areas on throat, chest and abdomen (3 Sandoval, L., Sánchez, J.E. and Carman, E. (2013). Biología reproductiva de la Chirrascuá (Dendrortyx leucophrys) en Costa Rica. Ornitología Neotropical. 24: 113–120. In Spanish. Close ). No further information.