QUAIL

Scaled Quail, Callipepla squamata

Family Odontophoridae (Quail)

Size: 10"

Season: Year-round resident in western Texas

Habitat: Dry, open grasslands and scrub

Also known as the Cottontop, the Scaled Quail is a plump, short-tailed ground bird with a tall, white-tipped crest. The upperparts and head are gray-brown, while the underparts and around the neck are paler with black-tipped feathers that create a scaled appearance. There is also white streaking along the flanks and the back edges of the tertials. Females generally have a shorter crest. Scaled Quail forage on the ground in large groups, or coveys, for insect and grains, and they usually run away rather than fly when alarmed. The voice is a two-part clucking, pe-cos, or a short shriek. The adult is illustrated.