9 3/4 inches long. The Northern Bobwhite is a highly variable quail. Most males have a unique head pattern of white face and throat, dark eyestripe, and rufous-brown center stripe on top of head. The body shows a mottled combination of black, brown, rufous-brown, and gray. There is a very rare male rufous form that is completely rufous with no head pattern. Females are duller in color with a buffy color replacing the white color on the male.
The Northern Bobwhite is a permamnent resident in the Omaha area but rarely seen in the Forest.
The northern Bobwhite is more often heard than seen as it makes its distinctive “bobwhite” call. Be careful since European Starlings are known the mimic the “bobwhite” call.
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