Elegant Quail
Callipepla douglasii
Fairly common small game bird of open brushy woodland and overgrown weedy fields in tropical lowlands and foothills of northwest Mexico, sometimes near human settlement. Occurs in coveys for much of year, usually of 5–15 birds, which often feed along quiet roadsides early and late in the day. Flushes explosively with shrieks when disturbed. Both sexes have a short, upright fan-shaped crest and bold white spotting on the belly. No other quail in most of its range and habitat; endemic.
Identification
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.<p>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.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Callipepla douglasii
- Authority
- (Vigors, 1829)
- Order
- Galliformes
- Family
- Odontophoridae
- Genus
- Callipepla
Range and habitat
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.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Barbuda Warbler
Setophaga subita
A brightly colored inhabitant of thickets and scrub near water. The combination of blue-gray upperparts, extensively yellow underparts, white wingbars, and distinctive facial pattern are unique within its range. The song is variable, but most often is a burbling series of sweet notes given in three parts, with the middle part higher pitched. The call is a single loud sweet chip.
Yellow-fronted Woodpecker
Melanerpes flavifrons
Multicolored, gregarious medium-sized woodpecker. Note black wings, tail, and mask, yellow forehead and eyering, white rump, and red belly bordered with dark bars. Males have a red crown and neck, which is black in females. Found in moist forests, second growth and sometimes plantations. The call is a loud “kiki-kiki-kirikiki.”
Gilded Flicker
Colaptes chrysoides
Large woodpecker, very similar to Northern Flicker. Overall pale sandy brown with gray face and brown crown. Spotted below with black oval on chest. Underwing and shafts of flight feathers bright yellow. Males have red mustache stripe; sexes otherwise alike. Combination of face pattern and yellow in wings helps distinguish from both "Red-shafted" and "Yellow-shafted" Northern Flickers. Shows a strong affinity for saguaro cactus but also found in nearby woodland. Gives a piercing "kleer" call similar to Northern Flicker.
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