New World quail | Odontophoridae

Tandkwartels | Codornices americanas

Small, rounded gamebirds whose lower mandible has a serrated cutting edge — the feature the family is named for. The tarsus carries no spur, unlike that of most Old World gamebirds, and is short and thick, suited to digging in the soil. Many species have a crest or a forward-curving plume on the head, and the male is more sharply marked than the female, with a pronounced black-and-white face pattern. They nest on the ground, lay large clutches, and outside the breeding season live in settled coveys that keep in contact with clear, far-carrying calls.