Scaled quail

Species of bird

The scaled quail (Callipepla squamata), also commonly called blue quail or cottontop, is a species of the New World quail family. It is a bluish gray bird found in the arid regions of the Southwestern United States to Central Mexico. This species is an early offshoot of the genus Callipepla, diverging in the Pliocene. Scaled quail has formed several subspecies, 3 of which range into the USA:

Callipepla squamata squamata Vigors, 1830 (Altiplano scaled quail). The nominate subspecies; it is only found on the Central Plateau (altiplano) of Mexico. The chestnut brown belly distinguishes it from all other subspecies; it is also darker than the other two found in the USA.

According to Ligon, the distribution of scaled quail is largely coextensive with mesquite (Prosopis spp. ), condalia (Condalia spp. ), and
cholla (Cylindropuntia spp.). In Oklahoma, scaled quail occur in sand sagebrush (Artemisia filifolia) grassland, pinyon juniper (Pinus spp. Juniperus spp. ), and shortgrass High Plains.

In Arizona, pairing and maximum dispersal is complete by mid June. Nesting probably does not begin until early July. Scaled quail are fairly sedentary. The winter home ranges of scaled quail coveys varied from The home ranges of separate coveys overlap only slightly or not at all. In Arizona, 75 to 90% of a population apparently moved off of a breeding area by mid November, moving to nearby mountain foothills. The mountain habitat was consistent with that found on the breeding area. In March the population on the breeding area increased again, with most birds in groups of four to eight. Scaled quail have been reported as inhabiting an area from the nearest water in Arizona. In New Mexico, it was not unusual to find Scaled Quail from water. observed winter coveys from water in Big Bend National Park in southwestern Texas. In Arizona, scaled quail summer habitat is seldom within 660 feet (201 m) of water. Scaled quail were observed drinking at stock tanks from April to June (which was a dry period during the course of the study) every 2 to 3 days. In northwestern Texas, loafing coverts were characterized by: (1) overhead woody cover, (2) lateral screening cover, (3) a central area with bare soil, and (4) one or more paths through the lateral cover. Covert heights ranged from high and in diameter. Cholla formed all or part of the overhead cover of 85% of coverts, even though they were dominant at only 12% of the study locations. In areas where scaled quail occur without cholla, woody species such as wolfberry (Lycium spp.) and mesquite are important for overhead cover. In Oklahoma pinyon juniper habitats, scaled quail use the shade of tree cholla (Cylindropuntia imbricata) and human made structures. In northwestern Texas, selection of foods by scaled quail was dependent on foraging techniques, availability, and seed size. Small seeds were selected when they were still on the plant and could be easily stripped, but were not eaten once they had fallen, presumably because they were too small and/or too hard to find. Broom snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae) was a staple in winter diets; it was not highly selected but was consumed in proportion to its availability (and lack of availability of choice items). In southwestern Texas, chestnut bellied scaled quail consumed woody plant seeds and green vegetation. The seeds of brush species comprised 68% of the contents of 32 scaled quail crops. Green food, chiefly wild carrot (Daucus carota) and clover (Trifolium spp.) made up 7.17%. Elbowbush was the single most important source, followed by Roemer acacia (Acacia roemeriana), desert yaupon (Schaefferia cuneifolia), and spiny hackberry (Celtis pallida). Scaled quail are popular gamebirds.