California Quail
Male
Plump, short-legged game bird with forward-facing, comma-shaped crest. Look for scaled black-and-white belly, chestnut belly patch, and fine black-and-white markings on neck.
© Brad Imhoff | Macaulay LibraryUtah, June 30, 2016Female
Females are brownish-gray on the neck and face, lacking the male's strong head markings.
© Ariel Cabrera Foix | Macaulay LibraryRegión Metropolitana de Santiago, April 11, 2017Male
Although they spend most of their time on the ground, males often call from elevated perches.
© Timothy Barksdale | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, February 01, 1997Not all videos have soundMale
Plump, short-legged game bird with unusual forward-facing crest. Belly is scaled black and white with a chestnut patch at the center. Black face is sharply outlined in white and the crown is rich brown.
© Paul Fenwick | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, April 09, 2017Female
Often found on the ground near shrubs or other cover. Female has plainer gray-brown upperparts than male.
© Paul Fenwick | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, April 09, 2017Male and female
Typically occurs in flocks or coveys of males, females, and young birds. Coveys can consist of 20 to 100 or more birds.
© Curtis Mahon | Macaulay LibraryWashington, February 17, 2017Male
Each covey usually posts a lookout—often an adult male—to watch for predators while the rest of the group feeds or rests.
© Jeffrey Thomas | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, June 20, 2015