The California Quail is a hen-like bird it is 9-11 inches big. The male has a gray chest and brown back and wings. It has a black throat with white stripes and brown cap on its head. The female has a gray or brown head and back and a lighter speckled chest and belly. They are small, chunky, short-tailed, round-winged ground dwelling bird. They have a short black beak. They have a teardrop-shaped head plume called a top-knot. They live in semi-arid environments, from sea level to 4,000 ft. up to 8,500 ft. or higher. They are birds that live on the ground.

         

The California Quail is a primary consumer. When one bird finds a good supply of food it calls the others to it and they feed in flocks. They have to compete for food with other small animals that live in there habitat. They have predators like the Coopers Hawk, hawks, owls and mammalian predators like coyotes and feral cats. They evade being eaten by hiding in the ground cover or rousting in a tree to avoid danger. They can fly rapidly, but only for short distances. When alarmed they will run and flying is last resort.

         

They are ground dwelling birds, there short and powerful legs are well adapted for running in the shrubs. They live in a chaparral, forest edge, scrub, parks, and farms, the California quail has adapted to the effect of humans. They are native to California, this quail’s range stretches to the north in southern British Columbia, Washington and Oregon, north western Nevada and other scattered locations.

         

Author:  Jayce D.

Published:  08/2011

 

Sources:    

http://www.audobon2.org/watchlist/viewSpecies.jsp        

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Quail

http://bss.sfsu.edu/holzman/courses/Fall00Projects/Quail.html

http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=spcHTM