California quail facts for kids
Quick facts for kids California quail |
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| An adult male California quail in Point Reyes, California | |
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| Genus: |
Callipepla
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| Species: |
californica
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| Where the California quail lives | |
The California quail (Callipepla californica) is a small bird that lives on the ground. It is also known as the California valley quail or valley quail. These birds are part of the New World quail family.
California quails have a special curving crest, or plume, on their heads. This plume is made of six feathers and points forward. In males, the plume is black, and in females, it is brown. Their sides are brown with white stripes. Male quails have a dark brown cap, a black face, a brown back, a grey-blue chest, and a light brown belly. Female quails and young birds are mostly grey-brown with a light-colored belly.
Their closest relative is Gambel's quail. Gambel's quails live further south. They have a longer crest, about 2.5 in (6.4 cm) long. They also have a brighter head and look more scaly. These two types of quails became separate species about 1 to 2 million years ago. The California quail is the state bird of California.
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Different Types of California Quail
There are seven known types, or subspecies, of the California quail. These different types live in various places. For example, some live in southern Baja California. Others live along the coast of northern California. Some are found in Oregon and Nevada. There are also special types that live on islands like Santa Catalina Island. Each type has adapted to its specific home.
How California Quails Behave
California quails are very social birds. They often gather in small groups called "coveys." One of their daily activities is taking a dust bath. A group of quails will find a soft, newly turned patch of ground. They use their bellies to dig down about one or two inches into the soil. Then, they wiggle around in these spots, flapping their wings and ruffling their feathers. This makes dust fly into the air. They seem to like taking these dust baths in sunny places. If you see circular holes in soft dirt, about 7–15 cm (2.8–5.9 in) wide, it means quails have been there!
These birds live in the same area all year round. They can live near cities, but their numbers are going down in some places as more people move in. Originally, they lived mostly in the southwestern United States. But they have been moved to other places too. These include British Columbia, Hawaii, Chile, New Zealand, and parts of Australia.
California quails look for food on the ground. They often scratch at the soil to find things to eat. Sometimes, you can see them feeding on the sides of roads. Their diet is mostly seeds and leaves. They also eat some berries and insects. For example, Toyon berries are a common food for them. If something scares them, these birds will suddenly fly up quickly. This is called "flushing." But if they have a choice, they usually prefer to run away on foot.
Breeding and Young Birds
California quails build their nests in bushy areas and open woodlands in western North America. Their nest is a shallow dip in the ground. They line it with plants and hide it under a bush or other cover. The female usually lays about 12 eggs.
Once the eggs hatch, both parent birds take care of the young. Often, several families will join together. These are called "communal broods." They include at least two females, many males, and lots of young birds. The males helping with these families are not always the real fathers of all the chicks. In good years, females might lay more than one set of eggs. They will leave the first group of hatched young with a male and then lay new eggs, often with a different male.
California quails make many different sounds. They have a social "chicago" call. They also make "pips" to stay in touch or as a warning. During the time they are breeding, males make a special "squill" sound. They will often make this sound right after their mate's "chicago" call.
California's State Bird
The California quail is the official state bird of California. It became the state bird in 1932.
The number of quails in California has changed a lot over time. For example, they used to be very common in San Francisco. But by 2017, only one California quail was left in the city. Local bird watchers named this male bird Ishi. They named him after the last known member of California's Native American Yahi tribe.
What California Quails Eat
The California quail eats insects, especially in the summer. They also eat many different plants. Unlike many other birds, quails need a lot of protein in their diet.
Gallery
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A pair of California quails in New Zealand
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A California quail pair
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A young California quail chick
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A male California quail
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A California quail egg at the MHNT museum
See also
In Spanish: Colín de California para niños
