Quails for Q

posted in: Birds, British Columbia, Lens Friends | 6

We loved seeing quail on our visits to British Columbia.  Some research tells me this is a California quail, found along the Pacific coast of the USA and Vancouver Island and the southern part of British Columbia.

quail sightings in British Columbia

They are small to mid size birds in the pheasant family.

quail sightings in British Columbia

The distinctive head markings on the male are lovely and don’t you just love that little plume feather on the top of its head?  It’s made up of 6 feathers that curl towards the front.  The female has a little top knot but it doesn’t curl as much as the male one.

quail sightings in British Columbia

Here are both the male and female strutting along a fence but they usually spend most of their time on the ground looking for food. These roundish birds live and nest in wooded areas.  Their nests are usually on the ground hidden in long grass under trees and shrubs.

quail photographed in British Columbia 2016, at craftygardener.ca

This large flock of California quail, known as a covey, kept scurrying out from under the cover of the trees and over to the feeder to get all the seed scattered on the ground.  They were quite skittish and went quickly back to the trees at the slightest noise.  But would reappear a little while later and start the process all over again.

quail sightings in British Columbia

This photos shows the female with her top knot as she walks through the grass.  Like the majority of birds the female isn’t as brightly coloured as the male.

Our sightings of BC birds include – stellar jays, juncos, sanderlings, black oyster catcher, heron, bar headed goose, red shafted flicker, eagles, dowitchers, yellow legs. black turnstones, towhees,

ABC Wednesday is up to Q. Q for quails.

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6 Responses

  1. Su-sieee! Mac

    Quails are happy looking birds. I always love coming across them. Without its little tippy hat, the brown quail’s body reminds me of a dove. The Husband says that the quail sounds like it’s saying “Chicago, Chicago.”

  2. ABC Wednesday

    Amazing and beautiful, aren’t they, well captured too.

    Have a splendid ♥-warming ABC WEdnes-day / -week
    ♫ M e l ☺ d y ♫ (ABC-W-team)

  3. Kea

    How wonderful to have seen them! The plumes are so neat! Are they hunted (by humans, in season) or are they safe there? (Thinking hunting season on other birds and hoping they’re all safe to live happy quail lives!)

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