California Quail
Callipepla californica
The California Quail's iconic topknot plume is actually composed of six overlapping feathers that curve forward.
- Scientific name
- Callipepla californica
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Galliformes › Odontophoridae › Callipepla
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Chaparral, sagebrush, oak woodlands, and suburban gardens with dense brushy cover.
- Diet
- Primarily seeds and leaves, but also berries and small invertebrates like caterpillars and beetles.
- Range
- California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Baja California, British Columbia
- Size
- 9 to 11 inches in length
- Lifespan
- 1 to 6 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat loss due to urbanization, predation by feral cats, and prolonged drought affecting chick survival.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. If you encounter a covey, remain still to observe their social interactions. If they flush, they will fly in a sudden burst; do not chase. Keep domestic cats indoors to protect them.
The California quail ( Callipepla californica ), also known as the California valley quail or valley quail , is a small ground-dwelling bird in the New World quail family. These birds have a curving crest or plume , made of six feathers, that droops forward: black in males and brown in females; the flanks are brown with white streaks. Males have a dark brown cap and a black face with a brown back, a grey-blue chest and a light brown...
Photo: Barry Langdon-Lassagne, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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