Mountain Quail

Mountain Quail, male, June

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

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

Description

• 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.

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

Sex Differences

Sexes similar, but female duller and with shorter plume.

Sound

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

Other Names

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

Cool Facts

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

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.