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California Quail (Lophortyx californicus) 
By Anna C. Ames 
The dove-sized California Quail. state bird of California, is beautiful and 
lively. The male differs from the female in having a short, erect, recurved, 
fanlike plume of six feathers growing from the crown and curving forward 
over the bill. He has olive-brown upper parts, a bright chestnut abdomen, 
a black chin patch outlined in white, and a white line extending from 
the forehead to the bluish-buff crown. The female is similar to the male, 
but the head is not conspicuously patterned. Her forehead and crown are 
graysh-brown; the sides of her head and throat are whitish, lightly streaked 
with black; the plume is much reduced, and the abdomen does not have 
a chestnut patch. 
The California or Valley Quail, the common quail of the desert, is the 
liveliest of all American game birds. During daylight these quail are 
almost constantly in motion. Even when perched quietly on a stump or 
fence, ever alert, the bird constantly moves its head or eyes in watchful- 
ness. It has the habit of sprinting long distances. This quail lives chiefly 
in the valleys and on the foothills in California, from near sea level to 
perhaps a mile above it. 
The range extends from southern California and Idaho to the extreme 
western part of Texas. The California Quail is considered of great value 
in insect control; it has been introduced into Arizona, Colorado, Vancouver 
and Washington. It is considered a common resident southward from 
southern Oregon. 
This quail is said to be loquacious. It has varied speech, including a 
common scolding note, variously interpreted. Its expressive vocal ability 
may be appreciated best when young and old birds are in a close flock 
enjoying conversation. The danger signal is a loud whispering sound. 
These quail do not breed in the absence of water, which is essential 
to their well-being. Yet they can live for months, or even years, without 
arinking water if they are provided with sufficient succulent vegetation. 
Efforts to increase the quail population by supplying water where food and 
cover are adequate have been very successful. 
California Quail are highly gregarious. They go about in coveys until 
it is time to breed. The start of the breeding season is marked by the fight- 
ing of males in the covey and the sound of loud, three-syllable gathering 
calls. Then vairs leave the flocks to scratch out hollows for their sparsely- 
lined nests. As soon as they are hatched, the young begin to accompany 
their parents. These family parties may form into coveys in the autumn 
and several coveys sometimes join to form larger bands. Each covey has 
its own fixed range. These home areas are from a quarter of a mile to a 
mile in diameter. A covey usually contains from 15 to 16 birds, but the 
numbers may go into the hundreds. The birds enjoy the thickets of 
mesquite bush and feed over the nearby oven ground. eating seeds, nlant 
leaves, shoots, and buds. They roost in heavily-foliaged trees or thick 
shrubs. 
The nests of this species are ordinarily concealed in grass, weeds or 
protective shrubs and are considered difficult to find. The period of in- 
cubation is 21 days. Normally there is but one brood a season. Unusual 
rainfall distribution may bring on nesting much earlier or later than usual. 
As a result of this denendence of reproduction on capricious rainfall. 
populations are subject to violent fluctuations. 
