Status and Recent Sightings of Ocellated Quail

Status and recent sightings of ocellated quail

JACK CLINTON EITNIEAR 1* and KNUT EISERMANN 2 1 Center for the Study of Tropical Birds, Inc., San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A. 2 PROEVAL RAXMU Bird Monitoring Program, Cobán, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. *Correspondence author - [email protected]

Paper presented at the 2 nd Workshop on Neotropical Quail: status, conservation and research, 2006, Veracruz, Mexico.

Abstract Ocellated quail is a poorly known and little studied species, rarely observed in the wild. It occurs from south western Mexico through Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and north central Nicaragua. Montezuma and ocellated quail are biogeographically separated by the tropical lowlands of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, in south western Mexico and are believed to be allopatric replacement forms. Collections for museums and observations in the wild have been sparse over the last 50 years. This paper reports recent observations and their proximity to protected areas.

Keywords Cyrtonyx, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Near-threatened, ocellated quail.

Introduction threatened in 2004. Due to insufficient data (Data Deficient) a recent evaluation resulted in Johnsgard (1973) reports that ocellated quail retaining the current threat category (Birdlife Cyrtonyx ocellatus can be distinguished from its International, 2008). This paper reports on closest relative, the Montezuma quail C. recent sightings of the species in relation to montezumae of southern Mexico, by reduced protected areas within its range and suggests white lateral spotting to their anterior portions that its threat category should be upgraded to and dark chestnut posterior flank spots in Vulnerable. Montezuma quail. On male ocellated quails their midbreast and upper abdominal areas are much lighter, generally buffy or slightly tawny colour and instead of gray flanks with chestnut spotting they have chestnut flanks with black and gray cross-markings (FIG . 1). While separation of the male ocellatus and montezumae is fairly easy (by lack of the chestnut coloured flanks in ocellatus ), females are very similar (FIG . 2) with the only difference being that ocellatus is, on average, only slightly less buffy dorsally (Johnsgard, 1988).

Binford (1989) states that in Mexico the species occurs from 1,000 - 3,000 m in upland oak- shrub vegetation. Similarly, in Central America, the species’ preferred habitat is considered to be open pine woodlands and adjacent grassy slopes and fields from 1,500 - 3,000 m in the central highlands (Howell & Webb, 1995). Considered as an “indicator species” of the pine-oak zone with its dense herbaceous understory, it feeds on acorns, bulb-bearing forbs and seeds of grasses and sedges.

This flora is able to survive selective logging and infrequent fire, but is less tolerant of FIG . 1 Male ocellated quail, front, back, grazing. Considered Low Risk by the IUCN in side views (Photos: Tom Schulenberg - FMNH- 1988 the species was up-listed to Near- Chicago).

86 J. C. Eitniear and K. Eisermann

inhospitable, so likely continue to provide some sanctuary for the quail, but verification that the species is extant in this area, at the periphery of the species range, is required.

FIG . 2 Female ocellated quail (2 right specimens) and Montezuma quail females (2 FIG . 3 Ocellated quail sites in Mexico. 1) Cerro left specimens) (Photo: John P. O’Neill - LSU). Baul and Tapanatepec, Oaxaca; 2) Recent sightings near Ocosingo, Chiapas; 3) Parque Methods Nacional Lagos de Montebello & 4) Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve. Cyrtonyx quail are seldom recorded during avifaunal surveys due to their lack of "flushing" In Chiapas, Howell (1999) observed the quail behaviour. In addition to a literature review, we near Chanal. However, members of the NGO derived information on species status and PRONATURA:Chiapas studying the golden- distribution from a variety of sources including cheeked warblers Dendroica chrysoparia have data from museum specimens (ORNIS 2007), yet to confirm the species presence within the documented sightings from birdwatchers and pine-oak forest of the region (Claudia Macias birding tours, ornithologists in the region (often Caballero in litt .). studying other species within the same floral community) and individuals working on regional Communication with birding tour companies atlases. that visit the forest along the highway near Ocosingo en route to Tuxtla Gutiérrez, has Results resulted in only two sightings in over twenty roadside searches. The first in April 2005 was

between Ocosingo and Comitán (Mark Mexico While the principle range of Montezuma quail is Stackhouse, [Westwings, Inc.] per. comm. ) and within Mexico, only a small portion of the range the second in March 2003 near Parque Nacional of ocellated quail is within the Republic. Lagunas de Montebello (Rick Taylor [Borderland Occurring from south eastern Oaxaca into Tours] per. comm.). It is reported (Birdlife International, 2008) that ocellatus is likely Chiapas (FIG . 3) only a few sightings have been occur in the Reserva de Biosfera Montes Azules recorded within the past few decades. as there is suitable pine-oak forest located in Historically (the majority in the 1960’s), a the north eastern section of the reserve at number of specimens (TABLE 1) have been altitudes greater than 850 m. Additionally, collected in Oaxaca, near the more coastal pine-oak forest suitable for the species can be areas of Cerro Baul and Tapanatepec at found in the 6,022 ha Parque Nacional Lagunas elevations of 1000 - 2000 m in regions composed of tropical evergreen and cloud forest de Montebello (Arizmendi & Márquez- as well as humid pine-oak (Binford, 1989). Valdelamar, 2000). However, it is doubtful that Mexico supports a viable population of ocellated While areas of human habitation are some distance away, the rural areas are populated by quail. Human encroachment into the highlands Mixteca Indians. The pine-oak canyons are and the limited amount of suitable habitat

Ocellated quail 87

(Gordillo-Martinez, 2000) are likely to result in MCZ161033 Hatillo the species being considered “en peligro de MCZ162755 Vasquez Mts extinción" (Endangered)” by the Government of MCZ162754 Monte Redondo Mexico. MCZ280195 Morazan UMMZ150015 Comayagua UMMZ150016 Comayagua TABLE 1. Ocellated quail specimens in museums (ORNIS, 2008). Identification number and El Salvador collection locality are given. FMNH=Field UCLA18275 Chalatenango Museum of Natural History; UCLA=University of UCLA18318 Chalatenango California:Los Angeles; MCZ=Museum of UCLA18373 Chalatenango Comparative Zoology:Harvard; UMM=University UCLA18383 Chalatenango of Michigan Museum; KUNHM=Kansas FMNH111222 Chalatenango University Natural History Museum; CU=Cornell University Museum Vertebrates; LSU=Lousiana Guatemala State University; WFVZ=Western Foundation According to the most recent vegetation for Vertebrate Zoology mapping (Ministerio de Agricultura Gandería y 2 Alimentación, 2006), 2,438 km at elevations of Mexico over 900 m support conifer forest, and 6,282 2 2 WFVZ16952 Oaxaca km mixed forest, a total of 8720 km of WFVZ16953 Oaxaca potential quail habitat in Guatemala. The WFVZ16951 Oaxaca largest fragments of habitat are available in the WFVZ12511 Oaxaca departments of Huehuetenango, Quiché, Baja WFVZ10921 Oaxaca Verapaz, San Marcos, Totonicapán, Sololá, and WFVZ8840 Chiapas Chimaltenango (FIG . 4, TABLE 2). WFVZ10923 Oaxaca

WFVZ8841 Chiapas WFVZ10924 Oaxaca WFVZ10922 Oaxaca FMNH208639 Chiapas FMNH208638 Chiapas LSUMZ39410 Chiapas LSUMZ43420 Chiapas KUNHM103299 Chiapas UMMZ110112 Chiapas MCZ135452 Oaxaca

Guatemala CU34085 Guatemala FMNH23332 Chimaltenango FMNH188191 Zacapa MCZ145693 Antigua MCZ193722 Zacapa MCZ193522 Zacapa MCZ193523 Zacapa KUNHM37191 Solola UMMZ155238 Zacapa FIG . 4 Areas of suitable habitat in Guatemala. Light green = quail habitat within protected Honduras areas, dark green = unprotected quail habitat, FMNH411464 Tegucigalpa FMNH411465 Tegucigalpa grey shade = protected areas (according to FMNH411466 Tegucigalpa CONAP, 2007). Numbers codify department FMNH411467 Tegucigalpa names (see TABLE 2). FMNH411468 Tegucigalpa FMNH411469 Tegucigalpa Of the 8,720 km 2 of potential habitat, only FMNH411975 Santa Barbara about 10% (900 km 2) is legally protected. The FMNH412670 Tegucigalpa protected areas covering more than 1% of the FMNH412671 Santa Barbara potential habitat of ocellated quail in Guatemala FMNH412672 Tegucigalpa FMNH412673 Tegucigalpa are, Área de Uso Múltiple Cuenca del Lago FMNH413620 Tegucigalpa Atitlán (3.2%), Reserva de Biosfera Sierra de FMNH414355 Yoro las Minas (2.0%), Reserva de Biosfera Visís MCZ158061 El Durrumbo Cabá (1.5%), and Parque Regional Altos de San MCZ161001 Hatillo Miguel Totonicapán (1.1%). MCZ161032 Cerro Cantoral

88 J. C. Eitniear and K. Eisermann

In addition to low coverage by protected areas, within the next 10 years. In addition to the many of Guatemala's reserves lack appropriate growing human population, habitat is management, park rangers or other on-site threatened by mining. Of the available habitat presence of state authorities. Applying IUCN for ocellated quail, 2380 km 2 (27% of the total Red List criteria (IUCN, 2001; 2003), Eisermann habitat) are located within areas used or & Avendaño (2006) evaluated ocellated quail as planned for exploration and opencast mining, Vulnerable at the national level in Guatemala including extensive habitat in the departments (VU A3cd: Population reduction of at least 30% San Marcos, Totonicapán, Huehuetenango, within the next 10 years, because of general Quiché, and Chimaltenango (FIG . 5). deforestation rates in Guatemala and hunting pressure).

TABLE 2 Amount and distribution of conifer and mixed forest (over 900 m elevation) in Guatemala. (Numbers in parenthesis are used in FIG . 4 & 5).

Department Area (km2) Quiché (2) 1934.7 Huehuetenango (1) 1800.2 Baja Verapaz (13) 765.8 San Marcos (4) 712.5 Totonicapán (6) 550.4 Chimaltenango (8) 497.7 Chiquimula (17) 365.1 Quetzaltenango (5) 364.3 Alta Verapaz (3) 340.0

Jalapa (15) 315.8 FIG . 5 Proposed sites for mining in Guatemala Guatemala (11) 245.6 (according to Ministerio de Energía y Minas, Sololá (7) 233.7 2008). Conifer and mixed forest (over 900 m Zacapa (18) 230.0 elevation) within these potential mining areas Jutiapa (16) 125.7 are marked in red. Names of departments are Santa Rosa (12) 99.1 indicated in TABLE 2, according to the numbers. El Progreso (14) 94.6 Sacatepéquez (9) 41.6 The ocellated quail has been recorded recently Izabal (19) 2.4 in four Important Bird Areas (Eisermann & Escuintla (10) 0.5 Avendaño, 2007 and more recent data) in IBA Sacranix (GT007), IBA Yalijux (GT010), IBA The annual deforestation rate in Guatemala was Tacaná-Tajumulco (GT013), and IBA Atitlán 1.7% of remaining forests from 1990 to 2000 (GT015). The species is not known to be (FAO 2003), which is an annual loss of 485 km 2 common anywhere in Guatemala, but suitable of forest. Consequently, in 10 years 17% (4845 habitat has certainly been under-surveyed (FIG . 2 km 2) of forest habitat were lost. Furthermore, 6). A total of 3370 km of conifer and mixed these numbers do not discriminate between forest (39% of potential quail habitat in natural forest and plantation, thus the loss of Guatemala) are included in the Guatemalan IBA primary forest was even higher. Also, pressure network. Conservation of the IBAs in on natural areas will increase considerably in Guatemala is challenging because of the the next decades, because Guatemala's human increasing pressure on natural habitat. population is growing rapidly; it is estimated to Guatemala has one of the highest illiteracy double from 2010 to 2050 for a total population rates in Latin America. To increase the of 27 million (CEPAL, 2007). Eisermann & education level has been identified as main goal Avendaño (2006) concluded that most of the for conservation, because this would help to people live in the highlands between 1000 and slow down population growth, and thus 2000 m, based on the most recent population diminish pressure on natural areas (Eisermann census (INE, 2002). Of the 11.2 million people, & Avendaño, 2009). 8 million lived in the departments in the highlands. It must be expected that the rate of El Salvador annual loss of forest habitat will not decrease Museum collections contain five specimens collected in El Salvador near Chalatenango in

Ocellated quail 89

1927 (TABLE 1). More recently, five areas surveyed for golden-cheeked warblers Dendroica chrysoparia all in suitable habitat, were found not to contain ocellated quail (O. Komar, per. comm.).

Using available information it was not possible to verify the species presence in the country during the last half a century. The amount of habitat is minimal (FIG . 7) and it is likely that landscape alteration, due to increased numbers of people in the highland region, as well as a prolonged civil war, mean the species is present in very low numbers, if at all. FIG . 7 Areas of pine-oak forest in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.

Honduras Monroe (1968) states the species is an “uncommon to fairly common” resident in highland pine areas . Despite significant representation in museums (TABLE 1), recent sightings in the field are sparse. There have been multiple sightings at Toro Muerto near Botaderos during a bird inventory in 2002 (Bonta & Anderson, 2002). The species has also been observed recently in north eastern Olancho, in the municipalities of Gualaco and San Esteban. There, small groups of 4 - 6 individuals, have been observed throughout the day in mature pine-oak forest with open, grassy understory at 600 - 1000 m. The most recent observation in this area was in September 2005 FIG . 6 Records of ocellated quail in Guatemala, (Mark Bonta, in litt.) . The most recent based on Dearborn (1907), Salvin & Godman sightings of the quail have been made by (1897-1904), Griscom (1932), Land (1962), Robert Gallardo along the entrance road to La Eisermann & Avendaño (2007), R. Cahill in Muralla National Park (W86'42" N15'11"). On 22 Jones & Komar (2007), K. Eisermann in Jones & April 2009 a roadkilled male was discovered Komar (2008a,b), K. Eisermann & C. Avendaño and photographed (see photographs at end). in Jones & Komar (2008c), R. Fernández in Returning to the area on 09 July 2009 a hen Jones & Komar (2009), T. Cahill, per. comm. with several chicks were discovered. One chick Protected areas with quail records: 1-Zona de was dead on the road and the others fled, Veda Definitiva Volcán Tacaná, 2-Parque however, several photographs were taken (see Regional Altos de San Miguel Totonicapán, 3- photographs at end). We believe these are the Área de Uso Múltiple Cuenca del Lago Atitlán, first images ever secured of young ocellated 4-Reserva de Biosfera Sierra de las Minas, 5- quail. These observations give us hope that the Reserva Chelemhá. species maintains a viable population in La Muralla National Park and perhaps others that have pine/oak habitats within their core or buffer zones.

Nicaragua The ocellated quail’s range includes Nicaragua based on a specimen collected by W.B. Richardson (Salvin & Godman, 1897-1904) in Jalapa around the turn of the last century.

The only recent observation was by Francisco Munos in a personal communication to Birdlife International (S. Butchart per. comm. ). Munos

90 J. C. Eitniear and K. Eisermann mentioned observing more than 30 individuals extirpation of the species in this region would in the Important Bird Area (IBA) in the Dipilto- fragment the population preventing geneflow Jalapa Mountain Range. However, according to from the northern Mexican-Guatemalan Nicaraguan bird specialist Juan Carlos Martinez- population and the Olancho forest group in Sánchez, Dipilto-Jalapa is a mountain range Honduras. Surveys in this areas using dogs, that runs parallel to the Nicaraguan-Honduras which are more effective at locating Cyrtonyx border that has the highest elevations in quail, should be conducted and given recent Nicaragua (up to 2106 m), where cloud studies (Heaton et al ., 2008) would not likely forest and highland pine forest overlap. Little impact the survival of the individuals forest remains, according to Mártinez-Sanchez, discovered. Finally, considering the lack of most of it has been either exploited, observations in Oaxaca (and most of Honduras) transformed in coffee plantations, even corn coupled with increased human population in the fields. Some forest remains in areas mined highlands, plus recent and predicted landscape during the Contra war, or covering steep slopes changes (especially logging and mining), we and poor soils (Juan Carlos Martinez-Sanchez, agree with the assessment of Carroll et al . per. comm. ). (1995; using the Mace-Lande criterion) that the species should be elevated to Vulnerable Discussion status. Based on the available data on quail distribution, human population increase, land The species’ status is clearly of concern in use by mining, hunting, and deforestation rate, Mexico, El Salvador and Nicaragua where we assume that the population of the quail is suitable habitat is extremely limited. All likely to decrease more than 30% within the chicken-like birds are hunted in Guatemala, and next 10 years, which would correspond to the the human population is concentrated in the IUCN Red List criteria VU A3cd. highlands (human population increased 35% from 1994 to 2002). Historically, Honduras probably contained the largest concentration of Acknowledgment ocellated quail, based on amount of suitable pine forest habitat. Unfortunately, half of the We wish to thank the numerous individuals that pine forests in the Department of Olancho have have contributed, and continue to contribute, to been logged or converted to agriculture. Since our knowledge and conservation of the the capitol city of Tegucigalpa is in the ocellated quail: David Anderson, Mark Bonta, highlands of south central Honduras high levels Stuart Butchart, Claudia Macias Caballero, Juan of poverty has resulted in high levels of Cornejo, Oliver Komar, Juan Carlos Martínez unregulated subsistence hunting of “carne del Sánchez and Pilar Thorn. We appreciate the monte”. Despite historic collecting of the photographs of museum specimens provided by species in this area it currently no longer Tom Schulenberg and John P. O'Neill. inhabits the region. Logging of old growth forest, in itself, does not likely impact quail References numbers as long as the understory vegetation remains. However, the typical scenario is that ARIZMENDI , M.C. & MARQUEZ -VALDELAMAR , L. logged areas are burned and often ultimately (2000) Áreas de importancia para la converted to grazing which destroys the conservación de las aves en México . diversity of the understory. Additionally, logging Consejo Internacional para la roads provide means for rural people to reach Preservación de las Aves, Sección México, and penetrate more distant forested areas for México, D.F. hunting. BINFORD , L.C. (1989) A distributional survey of the birds of the Mexican State of Oaxaca. While the usefulness of such coarse scale Ornithol. Monogr., 43(6), 405. assessment is debatable (Hurlbert & Jetz, 2007) BIRDLIFE INTERNATIONAL (2008) Species it does highlight several areas of concern. One factsheet: Cyrtonyx ocellatus. such area, the mountains of Oaxaca near Cerro Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org Baul, is the location of earlier collecting, but no on 9/3/2009 recent evidence has been published verifying BONTA , M. & ANDERSON , D.L. (2002) Birding that the species is extant since the collecting Honduras a checklist and guide. Ecoartes occurred in the 1960s (FIG . 3). A second critical S. de RL. Tegucigalpa, Honduras area encompasses the pine forest at the CARROLL , J.P., CHURCH , K.E. & KELSEY , M.G. Guatemala-Honduran border. With few (1995) International Wildlife Management sightings and significant landscape alteration, Congress 658-661.

Ocellated quail 91

CEPAL (2007) 2006 Anuario estadístico de INE (2002) Censos nacionales XI de población y América Latina y el Caribe / Statistical VI de habitación 2002. Población y locales yearbook for Latin America and the de habitación particulares censados según Caribbean . Santiago, Chile. United departamento y municipio (cifras Nations. definitivas). Instituto Nacional de CONAP (2007) Lista de áreas protegidas Estadística, República de Guatemala. inscritas en el SIGAP . Data base, accessed IUCN (2001) IUCN Red list categories and in June 2007. Consejo Nacional de Áreas criteria: version 3.1. IUCN Species Protegidas (CONAP), Guatemala. Survival Commission. IUCN, Gland, DEARBORN , N. (1907) Catalogue of a collection of Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. birds from Guatemala. Field Museum of IUCN (2003) Guidelines for Application of IUCN Natural History, Publication 125, Red List criteria at regional levels: Version Ornithological Series 1, No. 3, 67-138. 3.0 . IUCN Species Survival Commission. EISERMANN , K. & AVENDAÑO , C. (2006) Diversidad IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, de aves en Guatemala, con una lista UK. bibliográfica. Pp. 525-623 in E. Cano JOHNSGARD , P.A. (1973) Grouse and quails of [Ed.], Biodiversidad de Guatemala, Vol. 1. North America. Univ. of Nebraska Press, Univ. Del Valle de Guatemala, Guatemala. Lincoln. EISERMANN , K. & AVENDAÑO , C. (2007) Áreas JOHNSGARD , P.A. (1988) The quails, partridges, propuestas para la designación como iba and francolins of the world . Oxford (Área importante para la conservación de University Press, Oxford. aves) en Guatemala, con una priorización JONES , L.H. & KOMAR , O. (2007) Spring para la conservación adentro de las IBAs y migration, March through May 2007. una evaluación de las IBAs para aves North American Birds, 61, 521-525. migratorias Neárticas-Neotropicales. JONES , L.H. & KOMAR , O. (2008a) The nesting Informe final a BirdLife International, season, June through July 2007. North Quito, Ecuador. Sociedad Guatemalteca American Birds , 61, 648-651. de Ornitología, Guatemala. JONES , L.H. & KOMAR , O. (2008b) Fall migration, EISERMANN , K. & AVENDAÑO , C. (2009) August through November 2007. North Guatemal a. in [Birdlife International], American Birds , 62, 163-169. Important Bird Areas of the Americas . JONES , L.H. & KOMAR , O. (2008c) The winter Birdlife International, Quito, Ecuador. season, December 2007 through February FAO (2003) State of the world's forests (2003) 2008. North American Birds , 62, 314-318. Food and Agriculture Organization of the JONES , L.H. & KOMAR , O. (2009) The nesting United Nations, Rome. season, June through July 2008: Central GORDILLO -MARTINEZ , A. (2000 ) Modelling America. North American Birds , 62, 626- distributions of Mexican Quail 628. (Odontophoridae): implications for LAND , H.C. (1962) A collection of birds from the conservation . International Galliformes Sierra de las Minas, Guatemala. Wilson Symposium 2000. Bulletin , 74, 267-283. GRISCOM , L. (1932) Distribution of bird-life in MINISTERIO DE AGRICULTURA GANADERÍA Y Guatemala: a contribution to a study of ALIMENTACIÓN (2006 ) Mapa de cobertura the origin of Central American bird-life. vegetal y uso de la tierra a escala Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. His. 64. 1:50,000 de la República de Guatemala, HEATON , J.S., CABLK , M.E., NUSSEAR , K.E., ESQUE , Año 2003 (Incluye 5 cultivos perennes T.C., MEDICA , P.A., SAGEBIEL , J.C. & FRANCIS , actualizados al año 2005) . Memoria S.S. (2008) Comparison of effects of técnica y descripción de resultados. human versus wildlife-detector dogs. The Ministerio de Agricultura Ganadería y Southwestern Naturalist, 53, 472-479. Alimentación –MAGA– / Unidad de HOWELL , S.N.G. (1999) A bird-finding guide to Planificación Geográfica y Gestión de Mexico . Cornell Univ. Press., Ithaca. Riesgo –UPGGR–, Guatemala Ciudad, HOWELL , S.N.G & WEBB , S. (1995) A guide to the Guatemala. birds of Mexico and northern Central MINISTERIO DE ENERGÍA Y MINAS (2008 ) Catastro America. Oxford. minero. Ministerio de Energía y Minas de Hurlbert, A.H. & Jetz, W. (2007) Species Guatemala, Dirección General de Minería . richness, hotspots, and the scale www.mem.gob.gt. (accessed 16 October dependence of range maps in ecology and 2008). conservation. PNAS 104, 13384-13389.

92 J. C. Eitniear and K. Eisermann

MONROE , B.L. (1968) A distributional survey of papers and serves on the editorial board for the birds of Honduras. Ornithological several ornithological journals. He has an Monographs 7, AOU. interest in many species of tropical birds, but ORNIS (2007) Ornithological Information his emphasis, in terms of quail, has been on System http://olla.berkeley.edu/ornisnet/ bearded wood-partridge, singing quail, SALVIN , O. & GODMAN , F.D. (1897-1904) Biologia ocellated quail, black-throated bobwhite and centrali-Americana. Aves. Vol. 3. , Taylor elegant quail. KNUT EISERMANN has been and Francis, London. studying the distribution and conservation status of birds in Guatemala since 1997. He is Biographical sketches senior author of the Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Guatemala , has contributed to the JACK CLINTON EITNIEAR has studied neotropical 2008 update of the BirdLife species fact sheet quail for the last decade. In addition to field of threatened birds and has coordinated the studies he has assisted with the organization of identification of IBAs in Guatemala, an initiative two international meetings and manages a of BirdLife International and the Ornithological yahoo group devoted to neotropical quail. He Society of Guatemala. He is director of the has a M.S. degree from Texas State University, PROEVAL RAXMU Bird Monitoring Program in writing a thesis on the tropical finch Sporophila Guatemala. torqueola. He has published over 100 scientific

TOP : Ocellated quail hit by a car in northern Olancho (c19 km north of La Unión, Olancho, close to La Muralla N.P.). BOTTOM : Habitat being utilised by the quail in northern Olancho. (Photos: Roberto Gallardo)

Ocellated quail 93

First known photograph of a young ocellated quail, photographed near La Muralla NP (Honduras) (Photo: Kevin Easley [9 July 2009]).