86 
BIRD LIFE IN WASHINGTON 
CALIFORNIA QUAIL 
California Quail is our most common 
quail. He is bluer in color than Moun¬ 
tain Quail. On liis head he wears a jaunty 
black plume which curves gracefully for¬ 
ward. His neck is adorned with a pretty 
black bib gracefully bordered with white. 
When these birds are feeding in ex¬ 
posed places, the cock stands sentinel. 
With neck craned up, he is on the lookout 
for danger and ready to give warning. 
But usually all one can see is a flash 
of blue as, with a whirr, a bird disappears 
into the thicket. I remember a pair of 
partridges that chose a secluded piece of 
railroad track for their feeding ground. 
I was seldom shrewd enough to get near 
them. 
The male bird would hop upon a rail 
of the track and watch my everv move- 
ment. His Avife went quietly on with her 
eating perfectly confident that he Avould 
warn her in plenty of time to get out of 
danger. 
When he feels that he is safe in the 
thicket, he crows in words something like 
these: “Uck, uck! oo”; “Uck, uck! oo.” 
It sounds to me like a young rooster tak- 
ing his first lesson in vocal music. 
Some folks think Quails talk English. 
They tell us he says “Who are you”? 
California Quail loves the districts, too. 
