Spotted Wood-Quail

Odontophorus guttatus

eBird describes the Spotted Wood-Quail like this:  Elusive dark quail found in the interior of humid tropical forest in lowlands and foothills. Forages stealthily in forest interior, usually in pairs or small groups, and usually runs rather than flies when disturbed. Sexes look alike, with erect crest, blackish throat, and white polka dots on breast. Sometimes in same areas as the much smaller Singing Quail, which is much more easily seen. 

The Birds of the World website introduces the Spotted Wood-Quail with this descriptive information:  A Middle American endemic, the Spotted Wood-Quail occurs, somewhat discontinuously, from southeastern Mexico to southwest Panama. Although no subspecies are recognized, there are two color phases, brown and rufous, which are differentiated by the saturation of the underparts and the crest. The Spotted Wood-Quail overlaps geographically and altitudinally only with the Black-eared Wood-Quail (Odontophorus melanotis), which is unspotted, and, to a much lesser extent, with the Black-breasted Wood-Quail (Odontophorus leucolaemus), which is darker overall and has a whiter throat. This species forms coveys of up to 20 individuals, although groups of between four and ten individuals are more usual. Their behavior is typical of all wood-quail. Forest destruction has undoubtedly reduced this species’ populations in many areas, although in Costa Rica and Panama it is apparently still reasonably numerous, at least locally.

I met my first Spotted Wood-Quail on the morning of February 8, 2023 on a trail above the Hotel Savegre in Costa Rica.  This was an elusive bird, and difficult to see and even more difficult to photograph.  Below find my best effort at photographs.  Once again, low light and dense foliage greatly hampered my efforts.