- Where to see one
- 4 U.S. zoos in our directory hold northern bobwhite, confirmed against each zoo's own animal list.
Conservation status
Not Evaluated
This species has not been assessed for the IUCN Red List, so it sits outside the threat scale entirely.
About the northern bobwhite
The northern bobwhite is a chunky, ground-dwelling New World quail, 24 to 28 cm long, native to Canada, the United States, Mexico and Cuba. It is named for its whistled call and lives year-round in farmland, grassland, open woodland and along roadsides and wood edges. Shy and elusive, it crouches and freezes when threatened and flushes into low flight only if closely approached. Groups called coveys can number two dozen or more in winter. It eats seeds, wild berries, cultivated grains, snails, grasshoppers, beetles and spiders. Habitat loss has driven a decline of roughly 85% in eastern North America between 1966 and 2014.
Northern Bobwhite facts
- There are 20 recognised subspecies, and one, the Key West bobwhite, is extinct.
- Radio telemetry showed bobwhites are better described as ambisexual polygamous than monogamous.
- Nest success averages about 28%, and predation is the main cause of nest failure.
- Introductions into Great Britain, first tried in 1820, always failed, with cold wet weather blamed.
Where to see northern bobwhite in the U.S.
4 zoos across 4 states
Find the closest one
Rank the 4 zoos holding northern bobwhite by how far they are from you. Your location is used in your browser to sort this list and is never sent to us.
Louisiana· 1
Minnesota· 1
Texas· 1
Virginia· 1
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Built from each zoo's own published animal list.
