While the scaled quail first appears bland and plain compared to more brilliantly colored grouse and quail, this terrestrial bird has a subtle beauty with gentle colors and scalloped markings that make it an attractive addition to any birder's life list.

Common Name: Scaled Quail, Cottontop, Cotton Top, Blue Quail, Blue Scale Quail

Scientific Name: Callipepla squamata

Scientific Family: Odontophoridae

Appearance:

• Bill: Small, gray-black, curved culmen
• Size: 10 inches long with 13-14-inch wingspan, round body, rounded wings, short tail, bushy white-tipped crest
• Colors: Gray, buff, cream, brown, white, rufous, blue-gray, yellow, black
• Markings: Dimorphic species. Males have a plain gray-brown face with a faint, blurry dark eye line and they sport a fluffy crest with a white tip. The upperparts are gray-brown, and the underparts range from blue-gray on the chest to creamy yellow-buff on the lower abdomen, with some south Texas populations showing a darker rufous patch on the lower belly. From the hindneck across the sides of the neck to the breast and underparts the feathers are finely edged with dark gray or black, giving the birds a scalloped or scaly appearance, and short white horizontal streaks are visible on the flanks. The square-tipped tail is gray. Females are similar to males but have a buff tip to their crest rather than the white tip males show, and females have less overall contrast throughout their plumage. Females may also show fine streaks on the chin, and the crest may be slightly smaller. For both genders, the eyes are black and the legs and feet are gray.
  
  Juveniles are similar to adults, but have a faint rufous wash overall and less defined scaling, with more of a mottled pattern on the upperparts.

Foods: Seeds, grain, berries, insects, flower blossoms (See: Granivorous)

Habitat and Migration:

These quail prefer relatively open, semiarid desert or scrub habitats, including rocky hillsides, gullies and canyons. They are frequently found along roadsides or in ranching areas in the proper habitat, and their year-round range stretches from southeastern Arizona through New Mexico to southeastern Colorado, the southwestern corner of Kansas and the eastern panhandle portion of Oklahoma, into eastern and southern Texas south to central and eastern Mexico.

Scaled quail do not migrate.

Vocalizations:

These quail have a somewhat raspy voice with a distinct "choo-chooooooo" call and a single pitch call note. They may also make squeaking and clucking sounds, particularly when alarmed.

Behavior:

These gregarious birds are found in pairs or small groups throughout the year, and in fall and winter they may come together in large coveys of 100 or more birds. While they can fly well, they prefer to run when threatened, and their flights are generally short and frantic. During the hottest part of the day in their desert habitat, scaled quail often roost under shaded bushes or shrubs. Males may seek out exposed perches such as fence posts or elevated rocks to call and guard their covey while other birds forage.

Reproduction:

These are monogamous birds but their breeding cycle can be interrupted by severe drought, and they may not breed at all if water is not readily available. Both genders work together to construct a basic scrape nest lined with dry grass and feathers, though the females generally do more of the construction. The nest is typically hidden under a knot of grass or beneath a low shrub.

The eggs are creamy white and may have brown specks, and there are 5-16 eggs in each brood. The female incubates the eggs for 22-23 days, and after the eggs hatch, the precocial young are ready to leave the nest in less than a day. Both parents guide the young quail for 14-16 days until they are ready for their first flight, and the juvenile birds may stay as a loose part of the family flock until they seek their own mates the following spring. Only one brood is raised each year, though if the first brood is lost to a predator or other hazard, a second brood may be started.

Scaled quail will hybridize with northern bobwhites or Gambel's quail where their respective ranges overlap, though such hybrids are relatively rare.

Attracting Scaled Quail:

These quail will readily visit backyards where a ground-feeding area is present, particularly if mixed birdseed, cracked corn or other grain is available. Bird-friendly landscaping should include seed-bearing flowers, grasses, cacti and shrubs that these quail will recognize, and a brush pile can provide additional shelter. A reliable ground bird bath can also help attract these quail.

Conservation:

The scaled quail is not considered threatened or endangered, but the overall population is steadily declining, though such declines are difficult to track because this bird has regular population fluctuations dependent on droughts and floods, both of which can severely impact breeding success. Limited amounts of cattle grazing are believed to be beneficial to these birds by opening up more habitat that meets their needs, but overgrazing is still detrimental. These birds are hunted as a game species in some areas, and sport population management can be helpful for monitoring the overall population trends.

Similar Birds:

• Gambel's Quail (Callipepla gambelii)
• Elegant Quail (Callipepla douglasii)
• Banded Quail (Philortyx fasciatus)
• Inca Dove (Columbina inca)

Photo – Scaled Quail © Ron Knight