Rufous-breasted Wood-Quail

The Rufous-breasted Wood-Quail occurs on the eastern slopes of the Andes in Ecuador, where the subspecies soderstromii is found in humid montane forests between roughly 800 and 2,000 meters elevation. Though generally elusive and locally uncommon, it is considered fairly frequent in protected areas like Podocarpus National Park, often moving in small coveys through dense understory. Despite a declining population trend, the species is listed as Least Concern due to its broad range and relatively large estimated population. Feeding on insects, nuts, and plant matter, it plays a quiet but ecologically important role in forest floor dynamics, and its far-carrying, whistled calls are sometimes the only clue to its presence.