Sounds and Vocal Behavior

The vocalizations of the Crested Bobwhite can be divided into those given by the male during breeding (song), and nonbreeding or social calls that are given by both sexes outside the breeding season (Sandoval, unpublished data).

In the northern group of subspecies, the "Spot-bellied Bobwhite" (C. cristatus leucopogon and related subspecies), the song lasts an average of 0.77 s with a maximum of 1.28 s (Sandoval, unpublished data.). The song consists of two notes, "bob" and "White", where the "bob" may or may not be repeated (Sandoval 2008, Sandoval and Barrantes in preparation). Males sing from elevated perches, from 0.3-3 m above the ground, using sites such as shrubs, rocks or fallen logs (Leber 1975, Sandoval 2008). When singing from a bush, the quail vocalizes from inside the crown, but when using other perches it uses the highest and most exposed sites. The most common vocalizations in flocks are a series of calls from the ground, which are given by both sexes: "JEE pi pipi JER" or "pi JEE JER;" other vocalizations are low "chuckling, chattering, peeping" notes (Stiles and Skutch 1989). The chicks give repeated whistles, "siiu," to communicate with the female or with other chicks when they are alone (Sandoval 2009).

In the southern group of subspecies, the "Crested Bobwhite" (C. cristatus cristatus and related subspecies), the song lasts an average of 0.98 s with a maximum of 1.23 s (Sandoval et al. unpublished data), and consists two flat notes, "bob" and "White." The  "bob" is always repeated twice before "WHITE," and sometimes the "bob" is repeated three times (Sandoval et al. unpublished). The calls are faster and simpler than those of other species. The contact call is "turée-burr-burr," and the alarm call is a sharp, repeated "tick" or "tick-tick" (Hilty 2002).

None reported.