California Quail Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesCalifornia Quail
Male
Plump, short-legged game bird with forward-facing, comma-shaped crest. Look for scaled black-and-white belly, chestnut belly patch, and fine black-and-white markings on neck.
© Nancy Christensen / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, April 15, 2018Female
Females are brownish-gray on the neck and face, lacking the male's strong head markings.
© David M. Bell / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, April 17, 2020Male
Although they spend most of their time on the ground, males often call from elevated perches.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, February 01, 1997Male
Plump, short-legged game bird with unusual forward-facing crest. Belly is scaled black and white with a chestnut patch at the center. Black face is sharply outlined in white and the crown is rich brown.
© Paul Fenwick / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, April 09, 2017Female
Often found on the ground near shrubs or other cover. Female has plainer gray-brown upperparts than male.
© Paul Fenwick / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, April 09, 2017Male and female
Typically occurs in flocks or coveys of males, females, and young birds. Coveys can consist of 20 to 100 or more birds.
© Mike Ross / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, December 28, 2015Male
Each covey usually posts a lookout—often an adult male—to watch for predators while the rest of the group feeds or rests.
© Jeffrey Thomas / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, June 20, 2015Similar SpeciesGambel's Quail
Male
Gambel's Quail live in deserts largely to the east of the California Quail's native range, with little overlap. Male Gambel's Quail has a brighter reddish-brown crown and a buffy belly.
© Gordon Karre / Macaulay LibraryArizona, March 03, 2017Similar SpeciesGambel's Quail
Female
Female Gambel's Quail has a buffy, not scaled, belly, and is plainer gray on the back of the neck compared to the scaled appearance of female California Quail.
© Eric Gofreed / Macaulay LibraryArizona, December 28, 2016Similar SpeciesMountain Quail
Adult
Both sexes of Mountain Quail have a long, slender plume coming straight up off the head, unlike California's shorter, curved head plume. Mountain Quail has thick, vertical white stripes on the sides rather than the finer horizontal stripes of California Quail.
© Matt Davis / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, July 15, 2015Similar SpeciesChukar
Adult
Chukar is sandy brown overall with strong black stripes on the sides and a heavy, bright-red bill. They lack the curved head plume of California Quail.
© Justyn Stahl / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, May 29, 2015Similar SpeciesGray Partridge
Male
Male Gray Partridges have a tawny face and reddish brown barring on the gray sides, unlike California Quail's chestnut sides and white stripes.
© Lauri Taylor / Macaulay LibraryUtah, January 22, 2016Compare with Similar Species
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Species in This Family
New World Quail(Order: Galliformes, Family: Odontophoridae)
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