Mountain Quail

Overview

The mountain quail (Oreortyx pictus) is a small, ground-dwelling bird belonging to the New World quail family. As the sole species in its genus, its ancestors diverged from other New World quails no later than six million years ago.

Identification

• Average length of 26–28 cm with short, rounded wings and long, featherless legs.
• Distinctive topknot that changes color depending on the season and geographic location.
• Brown face and back, grey breast, and heavily white-barred underside.
• Females display more brown on the dorsal side, paler red on the underside, and wider white flank barring than males.

Habitat

Found in mountainous chaparral, wooded areas of the Sierra Nevada and Coast Range, and lava reefs in the Modoc Plateau of California. The range extends west of the Rocky Mountains from British Columbia to the Baja Peninsula, reaching elevations up to 3,000 m.

Diet

The diet consists primarily of plant matter and seeds. Chicks are more insectivorous than adults but gradually increase their consumption of plant matter as they mature.

Did you know?

Preliminary research suggests that males can successfully incubate chicks alone, creating the possibility of a pair raising two broods in a single breeding season. Additionally, the topknots of these birds change colour according to the season and the geographic location of specific populations.