bobwhite
noun
bob·white
ˈbäb-ˈ(h)wīt 
: any of a genus (Colinus) of New World quail
especially
: a popular game bird (C. virginianus) of eastern and central North America having mottled chiefly reddish-brown plumage
Examples of bobwhite in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Hunting them was bobwhite hunting in a Mexican environment.
—
Jack O'Connor, Outdoor Life, 23 Oct. 2025
The villagers raised their hands in prayer, asking God to calm the gust for the sake of the bobwhite, the starling, and the fowl.
—Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025
Cardinals, grosbeaks, bobwhites, and other wildlife eat redbud seeds.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 July 2025
Thanks to several years of extensive grassland restoration, however, the bobwhites have returned to Cumberland and their whistles can once again be heard like echoes from the abyss.
—Chris Dorsey, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
After several years in which the state followed the national trend of alarming drops in harvest totals and hunter numbers, near-ideal weather and nesting conditions brought the bobwhites back … at least for the time being.
—Brent Frazee, Kansas City Star, 31 Jan. 2024
Now, the governor is trying to bring back the northern bobwhite, also known simply as quail, to the Mountain State by reintroducing 21,000 of them this year in the state’s biggest repopulation campaign to date.
—Kris Maher, WSJ, 26 Sep. 2022
The current efforts not only will result in the return of the bobwhite, but also will aid songbirds and pollinators.
—Rex Nelson, Arkansas Online, 27 Dec. 2020
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Jack O'Connor, Outdoor Life, 23 Oct. 2025
The villagers raised their hands in prayer, asking God to calm the gust for the sake of the bobwhite, the starling, and the fowl.
—Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025
Cardinals, grosbeaks, bobwhites, and other wildlife eat redbud seeds.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 July 2025
Thanks to several years of extensive grassland restoration, however, the bobwhites have returned to Cumberland and their whistles can once again be heard like echoes from the abyss.
—Chris Dorsey, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
After several years in which the state followed the national trend of alarming drops in harvest totals and hunter numbers, near-ideal weather and nesting conditions brought the bobwhites back … at least for the time being.
—Brent Frazee, Kansas City Star, 31 Jan. 2024
Now, the governor is trying to bring back the northern bobwhite, also known simply as quail, to the Mountain State by reintroducing 21,000 of them this year in the state’s biggest repopulation campaign to date.
—Kris Maher, WSJ, 26 Sep. 2022
The current efforts not only will result in the return of the bobwhite, but also will aid songbirds and pollinators.
—Rex Nelson, Arkansas Online, 27 Dec. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Bobwhite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bobwhite. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bobwhite
noun
bob·white
(ˈ)bäb-ˈhwīt
-ˈwīt
: any of several American quails
especially
: a gray, white, and reddish game bird of the eastern and central U.S.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share