California Quail (Callipepla californica)

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Photo by Itzel Reno

Published on Project Noah

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Field Notes

Description:

California Quail are plump, short-necked game birds with a small head and bill. They fly on short, very broad wings. The tail is fairly long and square. Both sexes have a comma-shaped topknot of feathers projecting forward from the forehead, longer in males than females.

Notes:

You’ll find California Quail in chaparral, sagebrush, oak woodlands, and foothill forests of California and the Northwest. They’re quite tolerant of people and can be common in city parks, suburban gardens, and agricultural areas.

Reference Links:

California Quail, Identification, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Species ID Suggestions