Scaled Quail

Scaled Quail, male

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Scaled Quail, female, Arizona, August

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1. Description
2. Sound
3. Other Names
4. Cool Facts
5. Full detailed species account

A ground-dwelling bird of the southwestern desert grasslands, the Scaled Quail usually runs to escape enemies rather than flies.

Description

• Medium-sized quail.
• Pale gray overall.
• Bushy white crest.
• Finely scaled pattern over neck, chest, and belly.

• Size: 25-35 cm (10-14 in)
• Wingspan: 38 cm (15 in)
• Weight: 177-191 g (6.25-6.74 ounces)

Sex Differences

Sexes, but male slightly bluer than female and has a clear buff throat instead of finely streaked gray one.

Sound

A high shriek, and two-noted "Pe-cos."

Other Names

Colin écaillé (French)
Codorniz escamosa, Codorniz azul (Spanish)

Cool Facts

• The white crest gives the Scaled Quail its colloquial name of "cotton-top."

Sources used to construct this page:

Schemnitz, S. D. 1994. Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata). In The Birds of North Americaa, No. 106 (A. Poole and F. Gill, Eds.). Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences; Washington, D.C.: The American Ornithologists' Union.