bobwhite

American  

[bob-hwahyt, -wahyt] / ˈbɒbˈʰwaɪt, -ˈwaɪt /

noun

plural

bobwhites,

plural

bobwhite

1. any of several true quails of the genus Colinus, family Odontophoridae, including C. virginianus northern bobwhite, distributed through much of the Americas, having mottled reddish-brown, black, and white plumage: the bobwhite gets its name from its whistling call, which sweeps upward in pitch as an easily discernible “bob-white.”

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bobwhite British  

/ ˈbɒbˌwaɪt /

noun

1. a brown North American quail, Colinus virginianus , the male of which has white markings on the head: a popular game bird

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Etymology

Origin of bobwhite

An Americanism dating back to 1805–15; imitative of its call

Example Sentences

The system’s greenery still harbors the bobwhite quail and other declining species.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 14, 2023

Northern bobwhite quail, which are roughly the size of a softball, have short legs, short wings and don’t fly much.

From Washington Post • Mar. 7, 2023

Every day, during the spring, summer and fall, I used to hear the clear, ringing whistle of bobwhite quail.

From Washington Post • Sep. 25, 2019

Some of us wonder if the bobwhite quail is offended by the handle the humans put on it.

From Washington Times • Jul. 24, 2018

From down in the bottoms I heard the shrill call of a bobwhite and the clammering cry of a kingfisher in flight.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls