Odontophorus melanotis
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
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 |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Black-eared Wood Quail sighting in Darién National Park on a given day, based on 24 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 214th most-seen of the 397 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February–March and May
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Black-eared Wood Quail in Darién National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April and June–January, the lowest months.
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.
Yes
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Black-eared Wood Quail sightings, Darién National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come 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 Darién National Park (24 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.
