Odontophorus melanotis
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5%
The black-eared wood quail (Odontophorus melanotis) is a bird species in the order Galliformes. Until recently, the species was thought to be part of the family Phasianidae (Old World quail) however DNA-DNA hybridization results determined that black-eared wood quail are only distantly related to Old World quail. As a result, black-eared wood quail have been placed in the family Odontophoridae (New World quail) and more specifically, in the category of wood quail (genus Odontophorus).
There is limited information available on this species, but black-eared wood quail are considered to be forest-adapted, monogamous, relatively large pheasant-like birds that can be found in tropical and subtropical forests of Central America. They feed on insects and fruit and can be solo or in small groups.
The black-eared wood quail (Odontophorus melanotis) is a gallinaceous bird found in Central America. Its body is dark brown or black with a rufous breast. The most characteristic features of this bird are its unspotted chestnut crown and crest and its black face and throat. It has a black bill, blue-black legs and a purple bare ring around its eye. Females are close in appearance... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darién National Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 2 | Chagres National Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 3 | Tenorio Volcano National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 4 | Arenal Volcano National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black-eared Wood Quail sighting in Arenal Volcano National Park on a given day, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 481st most-seen of the 503 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black-eared Wood Quail in Arenal Volcano National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 6 and 9 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Black-eared Wood Quail sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
4th of 4
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Black-eared Wood Quail sightings, Arenal Volcano National Park ranks 4th at under 5%. The best odds are in Darién National Park (Panama, about 10%), Chagres National Park (Panama, under 5%) and Tenorio Volcano National Park (Costa Rica, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Black-eared Wood Quail is recorded against all the birds logged in Arenal Volcano National Park (9 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
