PARTRIDGES AND QUAILS: family Perdicidae [ 2.2.1 ] 



THE EASTERN BOBWHITE, the most widely hunted native American upland 

 game bird, was introduced into Oregon many years ago and is now quite 

 widely distributed in the State. So far as known, it was introduced by 

 Solomon Wright of Tangent, Linn County, in 1882., who brought six 

 birds from Indiana and released them on his own farm. He stated that 

 they began to multiply at once. The birds that have been known from 

 Malheur County for so long came from the increase of Bobwhite planted 

 in the Boise Valley, Idaho, in 1875 ^7 a g f o u p of local business men. The 

 quail thrived and eventually spread into adjoining parts of Oregon. 

 Since these early introductions Bobwhite have been released in various 

 other parts of the State and have been established for many years. 



This species has thrived best in Upper Sonoran localities in eastern 

 Oregon and at present is probably most abundant in the vicinity of 

 Hermiston, Umatilla County, where it has found conditions very much 

 to its liking. The luxuriant growth of sweet clover along the irrigation 

 ditches furnishes much ideal cover, as does the sagebrush, which has 

 grown into great thickets in low places just outside the ditches but is 

 subirrigated by them. The irrigated lands along the Snake and Malheur 

 Rivers in Malheur County have also provided suitable conditions, and 

 these quail are equally abundant there. In Wallowa County, the quail 

 have not increased to great numbers, but they are there in small numbers 

 and have maintained themselves for many years. They are also present 

 in smaller numbers in the cultivated sections of the Transition Zone of 

 western Oregon. In every county in the Willamette Valley from Mult- 

 nomah to Lane, the diversified farming practiced there provides condi- 

 tions suitable for these quail. Throughout this valley, the beautifully 

 marked little cocks sit on the fence posts and whistle their love notes. 

 In the morning and evening particularly, they can be found on full parade 

 engaged in whistling their musical bob-white, bob-bob-white to a concealed 

 lady love a sight to bring a thrill to any observer. 



The young are beautifully patterned little balls of down that grow 

 and develop flight feathers with amazing speed, being able to fly in a very 

 few days after hatching. The birds remain through the summer and fall 

 in coveys that roost together in a compact circle and often feed together 

 in close formation. When startled, they burst from the ground with the 

 suddenness of a bomb, traveling in all directions and, after landing, call 

 back and forth until the group is reunited. 



Valley Quail: 



Lophortyx calif ornica vallicola (Ridgway) 



DESCRIPTION. Adult male: Crest chestnut and recurved, black; patches on back of 

 head olive and dark brown, bordered front and sides by black and white lines; upper 

 parts grayish brown with buffy or brown stripes along sides of back; throat black, 



