Bird of the Week: CLXVI
Gambel’s quail (Callipepla gambelii)
A male and female Gambel’s quail that I photographed in our backyard. Every day I enjoy watching quail because they have gregarious personalities. There’s something about their topnots bobbing up and down that not only make them stand out, but add to their silly look.
“Gambel’s quail have a chunky round body with a feather plume on their head. Males have a dark and thick plume, a black face, neck and also a black patch on the breast. Females have more dull and thin feather plumes and lack the black markings. Mature males have much more striking plumage than females.” —Arizona Sonora Desert Museum.
Gambel’s quail can be found throughout the southwest United States. Mature birds average eleven inches long and weigh from 5.1 to 6.5 ounces (160 to 200 grams.)
Here’s a link to Gambel’s Quail songs and calls from All About Birds.
We have a quail’s nest with 12 eggs in a planter of a succulents called elephant’s food. Unfortunately, the quail picked a busy place next to where our trash bins are stored. I moved our recycling into the garage, but our coming and going into the garbage storage area scared away the mom and dad. This is the second time this has happened to us. The other time, they picked a planter of elephant’s food next to the garage while we were on vacation. When we returned home with the car, those eggs were abandoned, too.
I was so excited a few days ago, to have baby quail visit our backyard with their mom and pop. I put out a birdseed block so the babies can get plenty of food. At this time, they aren’t able to fly up to our bird feeder. I have several families visiting in the morning and evenings.
Fun Quail Facts
A group of quail is called a “covey.”
A male quail will act as a sentinel standing guard over his covey from an elevated location. If he senses danger, he will call out loudly in warning.
Males and females pair for life.
The male has a top knot plume that is actually 6 feathers together, and is used to intimidate other males.
Their food of preference is wild bird seed, followed by uncooked rice or sunflower seeds.
Nests are mostly in pots or window boxes, and are made by hollowing out the nest in dirt.
There can be a total of seven to 28 eggs per nest, with the female laying one to two per day. It is common for two females to share a nest, which is called “egg dumping,” and the female only sits on the nest after all the eggs are laid.
Eggs are speckled brown and arranged in a neat oval called a “clutch.”
Incubation is 25 days at a temperature of 100 degrees, and eggs are turned often.
Before hatching the babies peep inside the egg.
They are born with a full coat of feathers, eyes wide open, and are able to feed themselves.
They all hatch on the same day and leave the nest immediately, usually in late May or June.
Chicks are able to leave the nest within hours of hatching, foraging with their parents, and are capable of flying short distances within a week
Quail couples can cohabitate and share the nest with a second couple.
I don’t know how that topknot intimidates anyone. It’s too darned cute!
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No kidding! It makes me laugh!
how sweet!!
The babies are adorable and the parents have big personalities.
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Enjoyed this. Amazing looking birds.
Thanks for adding this
I’m glad you liked it. So, it did make it to your site? Last week I added it in the comments.
Great photos and info, thanks Elizabeth!!
I’m glad you enjoyed it. The quail are fascinating.
so sorry about the planter eggs. Maybe you can find some way to discourage the quail from even attempting to nest there next season?
Yes, we could put up some chicken wire to keep the quail out. Thanks for the good idea.
That’s great EA! Those birds are determined but sadly don’t understand what a poor choice for a nest. They deserve a nice, quiet safe spot so you can have even more little babies roaming the yard 🙂
Absolutely. We have several planters that are in quiet areas that we don’t walk by. I hope they make better choices next year.
I love this series! Even though I knew all these quail facts, I love the way you’ve presented them alongside the photos.
Yesterday, I saw the tiniest quail babies I’ve ever seen; each was about the size of a quarter. Now, I’m wondering if they were freshly hatched. Wow!
Thanks! I bet those were brand new quail babies. I’d love to see that! I’m so sorry our eggs didn’t hatch. That would have been my best chance of seeing newborns.
I know, it’s such a bummer that the parents sometimes abandon the eggs.
It is!
These quails are so adorable and dainty looking. Thanks for teaching us about them.
I’m glad you liked the post about quail. I joined a challenge “Bird of the Week” because a blogger from Australia named BushBoy suggested I try it. I’m learning about my birds, too.
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How fun, that’s great!
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I have noticed some doves near our fence. I must write about the blog about the visit of the crows. That was interesting! A blogger from Australia, I follow a few authors from Australia! Love reading about the outback. I just left my doc from getting the cortisone shot, first one, and left him and his nurse with bookmarks for my novels. They are both huge readers!
I hope the cortisone shot works for you! I enjoy reading blogs from around the world. Smart thinking to hand out the bookmarks.
Thanks, if someone can connect personally with an author, you do have a better chance of having them look into your novels. I like to buy novels of authors I am familiar with personally. It was a little painful but the doc was very reassuring. He says it looks painful (bone on bone)and encouraged me to speak up to my primary if it is not working. I will see. Thank you!
He did think the date in the future for 2027 was too long and would be increasingly painful for me. I will probably reach out to my primary.
My husband wanted to put off his knee replacement until January 2027. I put my foot down and it’s next week.
Wow, that was fast. I have to wait 3 months now since the shot for risk of infection and then we shall see. But by then, my husband’s operations will be over, so it will be better for both of us. I have a hard time being the patient! It will be a learning experience.
It was really fast. I had to push him to make the call to commit to the date. But we have travel plans coming up in July with friends, so he needs to be able to walk by then.
That is wonderful it was so fast! The insurance and doc worked well together. I am happy for him and wish him the best!
Thank you!
FYI, I just answered your comment on Erin’s post about cancer and my daughter-in-law.
I love the fact that the babies peep before they are hatched. That’s so cool! Sorry the ones in your elephant’s food were abandoned. I love the pictures of the families in your yard. Clearly your house is the place to be!
Thanks! I’m sorry about our eggs, too. The wash between our fence and the wall is a literal freeway for wildlife. Then I put out birdseed every morning and in the evenings, and the birds pop over from the wash through the fence.