| California Quail | |
|---|---|
 male | |
 female | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Galliformes |
| Family: | Phasianidae |
| Genus: | Callipepla |
| Species: | Callipepla californica |
A common bird of the chaparral and other western brushy areas, the California Quail is tolerant of people. It is common in parks and suburban areas. It is state bird of CA.
Description[]
The California Quail is a plump-looking bird of about 11 in (28 cm), whose body colour may vary from grayish, seen over most of its range, to brown in the coastal mountains of California. Like its relative Gambel's Quail, it has a curved, forward-drooping plume of six black feathers, longer in the male. Adults of both sexes have scaled underparts and brown sides. The male has a pale forehead, a black throat, and a chestnut patch on its belly.
Behavior[]
California Quail spend most of their time on the ground, walking and scratching in search of food. California Quail form flocks known as coveys in fall and winter; these usually contain family groups and can number more than 75 individuals. They roost in trees and feed mainly in the morning and evening, spending most of the day in shrubs that shade them from the sun and protect them from predators. Their flight is explosive but lasts just long enough to reach cover.
Feeding[]
The California Quail is mainly a granivorous bird, but also eats leaves, flowers, catkins, grain, manzanita and poison oak berries, acorns, and invertebrates such as caterpillars, beetles, mites, millipedes, and snails. Their diet is typically about 70 percent vegetarian. In morning and evening they forage beneath shrubs or on open ground near cover. They're seen walking, running, or scratching at the ground and leaf litter for seeds and other food. They occasionally forage in trees. California Quail generally forage in open areas but stay close to cover.
Breeding and Nesting[]
During the breeding season, males call loudly to advertise territory. In courtship, the male postures with wings drooped, tail spread; bobs head, and may rush at female.
The nest site is usually on the ground, under a shrub or brushpile, or next to a log or other cover. It sometimes nests above ground, on broken-off branch or in an old nest of another bird. Female California Quail typically hide their nests on the ground amid grasses or at the bases of shrubs or trees. Occasionally places nest up to 10 feet off the ground. The nest is usually a shallow depression lined with stems and grasses, and often placed near vegetation or rocks for protection. Nest range from 5-7 inches across and 1-2 inches deep. Usually 13 to 14 eggs are laid, but can range from 10 to 16 eggs laid. Incubation is done by the female only and takes around 18 to 23 days. One brood is raised per year, two raised in years with good food supply.
Distribution and Habitat[]
The California Quail is common along the California coast and in a few other areas of the west. It may be most common in open oak woodland and in streamside growth bordered by chaparral, but is also found in suburbs, semi-desert situations, pinyon-juniper woods, grassland, coastal sage scrub. Where in areas introduced farther inland, they may be in other brushy habitats.