The bird is around 10 inches (25 cm) long. Juveniles have a shorter head tuft and look like females. Females are largely brown with part of the same plumage pattern as the male. The under parts are scaly brown and light grey. The breast is grey and the back and wings are brown. There are a white and a black superciliar stripes, and the throat is black and bordered by a fine white line. CALIFORNIA QUAIL (Callipepla californica) (See images below)ĭESCRIPTION: The California Quail male has a dark brown head with a curved black tuft of black feathers, which makes it easily identifiable. California Quail Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab Of Ornithology. “Callipepla californica” (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. If they are scared they will dash to cover. Feeding mostly occurs in the early morning or late afternoon. Most of their time is spent on the ground where they will forage for food. Their call sounds like they are saying ‘chi-ca-go’. These groups typically include between 10 and 100 birds though some have been reported with as many as 400. The females will raise their young together providing additional protection and increasing survival rates. They can first fly when they are about a quarter of their adult size.įemales may join together and raise their broods as a group. Within an hour of hatching the chicks will be up and running around.Īt hatching the chicks have a striped body with a yellow colored head and a light colored beak. The eggs will be incubated for between 22 and 23 days. Each egg is a pointed shape and colored white with light gold spots.įemales will incubate the egg with the father remaining nearby to tend to her. Their clutch is quite large including 6 to 28 eggs. The eggs are laid in a nest which is a shallow scrape in the soil that is lined with grass. If females are not successful during their first egg laying attempt they will lay again. Their displays may include head dips, puffing up their feathers and spreading their tail feathers.Įgg laying occur from May to June. Prior to mating males will perform courtship displays to win mating rights. They call to one another in a pattern of orchestrated calls. Pairs will form and remain together to raise the chicks. Mating typically occurs between May and July. Most of their water needs can be obtained from their food. These are acquired by the young by pecking the feces of adults.ĭue to the arid environments they live in they have the ability to go long periods without water. A range of small insects are also eaten.ĭigestion of the vegetation they eat is aided by protozoans in the stomach. Their diet includes seeds, bulbs, berries, flowers, leaves and buds. They have sturdy, black legs.Īn average California quail will measure up to 25cm (9.8in) long and weigh between 151 and 190g (5-7oz). One of the most noticeable features is a black plume of feathers raising from the top of the head and curving over slightly.įemale California quails are slightly smaller than the males and duller in color with more brown feathers.īoth genders have white speckles on the nape of the neck.Īt the base of the body is a relatively long tail and the feathers are rounded. On their head males have black feathers with a white stripe running under the chin and across the eyebrows. Running down the sides are streaks of cream feathers across the brown back feathers. Males have blue-grey feathers on their breast with pale cream feathers on the underside with black scalloping underneath. The California quail is a short, stocky bird.
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