Mountain Quail

Mountain Quail, male, June

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1. Cool Facts
2. Description
3. Similar Species
4. Sound
5. Range
6. Habitat
7. Food
8. Reproduction
9. Other Names

A large quail with an exclamation mark atop its head, the Moutain Quail is found throughout the mountains of the far western United States.

Cool Facts

• The Mountain Quail is the largest quail in the United States.

Description

• Size: 26-31 cm (10-12 in)
• Weight: 189-262 g (6.67-9.25 ounces)

• Large quail.
• Runs on ground.
• Small round head with long plume sticking straight up.
• Round body with short tail.
• Reddish face.
• Bold white bars on flanks.

Sex Differences

Sexes similar, but female duller and with shorter plume.

Immature

Similar to adult, but less strongly marked.

Similar Species

• California Quail has curved, not straight topknot, a black face in the male, and a pale lower chest.

Sound

Loud, clear two-note whistle, "quee-ark."

Range

Range Map

© 2004 Cornell Lab of Ornithology

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Summer Range

Resident in mountains from southern Washington to northern Nevada, throughout California, and very northern Baja California.

Habitat

Shrubby vegetation in mountains.

Food

Seeds, fruits, flowers, and a few insects.

Reproduction

Condition at Hatching

Downy and able to follow mother.

Other Names

Colin des montagnes (French)
Cordorniz de montaña (Spanish)

Sources used to construct this page:

Gutiérrez, R. J., and D. J. Delehanty. 1999. Mountain Quail (Oreortyx pictus). In The Birds of North America, No. 457 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.