Dark-backed Wood-Quail

The Dark-backed Wood-Quail is restricted to humid montane forests of northwestern Ecuador, from Esmeraldas to Cotopaxi, where it inhabits dense understory between 1,100 and 2,200 meters elevation. Though elusive and patchily distributed, small family groups persist in both primary and secondary forest, often foraging for fruit and invertebrates along quiet trails at dawn or dusk. The species is listed as Vulnerable due to its small, fragmented range and ongoing habitat loss, with populations declining across much of its range. Despite its secretive nature, it occasionally visits feeders at reserves like Refugio Paz de las Aves, offering rare glimpses of its rich chocolate plumage and rollicking duet calls.