Elegant Quail
A species of Crested quails Scientific name : Callipepla douglasii Genus : Crested quails
Elegant Quail, A species of Crested quails
Botanical name: Callipepla douglasii
Genus: Crested quails
Content
Description General Info
Description
The elegant quail grows to a length of about 25 cm (10 in). The male has a distinctive long, straight, golden-buff crest (the female's crest is grey). In other ways the sexes are similar in appearance, being mainly grey with spotting and streaking in black, brown and white, and in the case of the male, in reddish-brown as well. The beak is black, the irises are brown and the legs dark grey to black. This bird can be distinguished from the otherwise similar scaled quail (C. squamata), California quail (C. californica), and Gambel's quail (C. gambelii) by the colour of the male's crest and by the paler spotting on the flanks. Vocalisations include a "chip-chip" call used by members of a covey to help them remain in contact as they feed on the ground by day, and a "cu-cow" call given on assembly at the roosting site in the evening, and again in the morning before setting off to forage. 
Size
24 cm
Nest Placement
Ground
Feeding Habits
Elegant Quail primarily consumes a variety of insects and plants. It forages on the ground, often in groups, to find its diverse diet. Uniquely adapted to its habitat, elegant Quail has a preference for certain seeds and invertebrates.
Habitat
The habitat of elegant Quail typically consists of thorny scrub areas, deciduous forests, and open grounds, often near cultivated fields. These birds favor semi-arid environments in foothills and river valleys with a high diversity of drought-deciduous plants and microphyllous trees. Found from sea level up to 1,500 meters, they thrive in regions with moderate, seasonal rainfall and minimal freezing temperatures.
Dite type
Granivorous
General Info
Feeding Habits
Bird food type
Distribution Area
Elegant quails are found only in Mexico, on the Pacific slopes of the Sierra Madre Occidental at altitudes of up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft). Their range extends from Sonora and southwestern Chihuahua to northern Jalisco and they are generally found in thorny scrub and deciduous forest, on open ground and cultivated fields. When disturbed they either freeze or run through the undergrowth, taking to the wing only with reluctance.
Species Status
Not globally threatened.
Scientific Classification
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