Range

North America is the native home of the California quail. Here they can be found in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

A number of introduced populations include Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina and the U.S Virgin Islands.

Habitat

They make their home in forests, shrublands, grasslands and deserts. In rural areas they may be found in gardens and in some cities they can be found in parks.

Reproduction

Mating typically occurs between May and July. Pairs will form and remain together to raise the chicks. They call to one another in a pattern of orchestrated calls.

Prior to mating males will perform courtship displays to win mating rights. Their displays may include head dips, puffing up their feathers and spreading their tail feathers.

Egg laying occur from May to June. If females are not successful during their first egg laying attempt they will lay again.

The eggs are laid in a nest which is a shallow scrape in the soil that is lined with grass. Their clutch is quite large including 6 to 28 eggs. Each egg is a pointed shape and colored white with light gold spots.

Females will incubate the egg with the father remaining nearby to tend to her.

The eggs will be incubated for between 22 and 23 days. Within an hour of hatching the chicks will be up and running around.

At hatching the chicks have a striped body with a yellow colored head and a light colored beak. They can first fly when they are about a quarter of their adult size.

Females may join together and raise their broods as a group. The females will raise their young together providing additional protection and increasing survival rates.

Behavior

Quails live in groups known as a covey. These groups typically include between 10 and 100 birds though some have been reported with as many as 400.

Their call sounds like they are saying 'chi-ca-go'.

Most of their time is spent on the ground where they will forage for food. Feeding mostly occurs in the early morning or late afternoon. If they are scared they will dash to cover.

Predators and Threats

Natural predators of the California quail include bobcats, coyotes, snakes, skunks and birds of prey such as owls.

When threatened by a predator they will burst in to flight to get away.

Humans target the California quail both for food and sport. They are also kept as pets.

One benefit they receive from humans is that they will eat acorns which have been cracked open by cars.

Quick facts

The California quail is the state bird of California.