Montezuma Quail

Montezuma Quail male

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

The strikingly marked Montezuma Quail is a bird of Mexican Mountains, reaching the United States only in southern Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas.

Description

Small quail. Small round head with slight rounded crest. Round body with very short tail. Male with bold black-and-white face pattern, black chin, dark chest with many small white spots, and streaks and bars across back. Female brown with indistinct head pattern like male's.

• Size: 20-23 cm (8-9 in)
• Wingspan: 41-43 cm (16-17 in)
• Weight: 122-230 g (4.31-8.12 ounces)

Sex Differences

Male boldly marked with black-and-white face, female muted in browns.

Sound

Calls a series of quavering metallic whistles and a descending whistle combined with a buzz.

Conservation Status

The secretive nature of the species makes obtaining accurate population estimates difficult. It is hunted in the three states where it occurs.

Other Names

Colin arlequin (French)
Codorniz Moctezuma (Spanish)
Harlequin Quail (English)

Cool Facts

• The Montezuma Quail usually crouches and stays still when danger threatens, and then explodes into flight from a leaping start if the danger comes too close. In captivity, even with clipped wings, it can leap at least 2 m (6.5 feet) straight up, often with enough force to cause severe injury or death if it strikes the roof of a cage.

Sources used to construct this page:

Stromberg, M. R. 2000. Montezuma Quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae). In The Birds of North America No. 524 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.