Buffy-crowned wood partridge

Buffy-crowned wood partridge
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Galliformes
Family:	Odontophoridae
Genus:	Dendrortyx
Species:	D. leucophrys
Binomial name
Dendrortyx leucophrys (Gould, 1844)

The buffy-crowned wood partridge (Dendrortyx leucophrys) is a bird species in the family Odontophoridae. It is found in Chiapas, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. Small groups forage in underbrush, secondary growth, near forest clearings and coffee plantations. The species local name is "chir-ras-qua" after its noisy call. It has a chicken-like appearance due to its long tail and legs. Its pale iris and streaked neck differentiates it from other quail like birds.

Taxonomy

The holotype specimen of “Ortyx leucophrys” Gould (Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1843 (1844), p.132.) is held in the collections of National Museums Liverpool at World Museum, with accession number D1496. The specimen was collected in Cobán, Guatemala in June 1843 by Adolphe Delattre and came to the Liverpool national collection via the 13th Earl of Derby’s collection which was bequeathed to the people of Liverpool in 1851.