[3] There is limited information available on this species, but black-eared wood quail are considered to be forest-adapted,[2] monogamous,[4] relatively large pheasant-like birds that can be found in tropical and subtropical forests of Central America.

[5] The black-eared wood quail (Odontophorus melanotis) is a gallinaceous bird found in Central America.

[6] Females are close in appearance to males, but have a blue-black eye ring instead of purple, darker sides of the head and duller chestnut colors.

[4] The black-eared wood quail persists across the Caribbean slope of central America; including Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica,[6] as well as eastern Panama and likely the northwest of Columbia.

[5] Black-eared wood quail make soft, cooing or peeping conversational sounds among members of their covey.

[4] They also have an advertising call, which is a repetitive, ringing duet that can be sung by a lone bird and carries across long distances.

There is insufficient information available for many species of wood quail which has resulted in inaccurate conservation assessments based on unreliable data.