Small quail of dry habitats in interior valleys and on the Pacific slope. Favors brushy fields, thorn scrub with grassy areas and open pine woods. Often seen along quiet roadsides early and late in the day. Usually in small groups, which flush explosively with a loud whirring of wings. Males in Guatemala and El Salvador have white face and throat. Males in Honduras and Nicaragua have bold whitish face stripes and dark throat. All females have buff eyebrow and throat. Loud whistled bob-WHITE! call much like Northern Bobwhite. In some areas, occurs alongside Ocellated Quail. Northern populations often treated as distinct species, Spot-bellied Bobwhite.