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| All About Birds | EnchantedLearning.com California Quail |
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The California Quail (Callipepla californica, also known as the valley quail) is a common bird from the western USA. Quails congregate in groups of 10 to 20 birds, called coveys. These plump birds live in woodlands, chaparral, desert edges, and grassy valleys. The quail's call sounds like chi--CA-go, where the middle sound (CA) is higher in pitch.
Anatomy: The California Quail is 9-10 inches (23-25.5 cm) long. It has a short, black bill. The quail has a tall, forward-pointing head plume. The flanks (sides) are brown with white streaks. The male has a black throat and a black face bordered by a white streak; there is also a white forehead. The female is duller and lacks the distinctive head markings.
Diet: This birds mostly eats seeds and leaves. It will also eat insects.
Nest and Eggs: The California Quail's nest is a simple scrape in the ground, lined with grass and leaves. Eggs are cream-colored with brown marking; females lay 6-17 eggs in each clutch (a set of eggs laid at one time).
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