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The California Quail can be found in sagebrush, chaparral, and foothill areas also the high desert of California.

These birds enjoy birdseed and other small plants and have a mostly vegetarian diet, but will eat small insects.

To survive, the California quail forges for food and runs very quickly with its short legs. to protect from predators they will take flight quickly. In the fall and winter, they form big groups and eat early in the mornings or late evenings. In the sun they will seek shade to hide from predators.

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Range describes where a species lives based on the climate, habitat and other factors. With climate change we learned that many species are losing their range. This means that they are shrinking or moving and it can even lead to the species extinction.

This map currently shows the range of the California Quail. Scroll down to view the changes in range as the temperature rises from climate change.

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In this scenario, I have applied a 1.5-degree temperature increase to the map to see the predictions on the California Quails range.

The gray area that appeared represents the range gained. It may seem as if the species is growing, but it is actually moving into new more habitable places since it must leave the now uninhabitable ones.

This species needs food and trees to survive, so as the temperature rises a bit, their species of food  (plants and bugs) may also be moving due to the heat. If they stay in the same spot, they may die out so instead, they move their range in hopes of adapting and moving to a new area.

The dark red areas represent the species lost its range. Although the majority of yellow area represents that the species is stable, the red spots show that with even higher temperatures there can be an even bigger loss in the future. In the next map, we can see the prediction for a 3.0-degree increase.

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In this last map, we can see that the red parts are now covering the majority of the originally yellow(stable) areas. And it seems to be growing a lot quicker than the gray areas that represent the new California quail habitable areas. This means that the population rates for this species is also declining with climate change happening.

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This species of bird along with many other species all work as part of an ecosystem. With the population declining, this can affect other species as well. It can range from more insects and weeds in an area, or a decline in other species that need these birds for survival as well.

not only is climate change affecting this species, this is also a sign for us as humans to see we need to fix the problem. It is important because we are part of the system as well and if something is happening to this specific species, it is also a sign of our own future as well.

we must save the environment to help these species and many others and then we will be able to save ourselves.

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Roberson, Roy. 2008. "Where have all the qauil gone?" Farm Progress.

All About Birds. "California Quail." https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/California_Quail/overview#

Audubon. "How Climate Change Will Affect California's Birds."https://www.audubon.org/climate/survivalbydegrees/state

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Overview

ID info

Life History

Maps

Sounds

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ID Info

Game Birds

California Quail Callipepla californica

ORDER: Galliformes

FAMILY: Odontophoridae

Basic Description

The California Quail is a handsome, round soccer ball of a bird with a rich gray breast, intricately scaled underparts, and a curious, forward-drooping head plume. Its stiffly accented Chi-ca-go call is a common sound of the chaparral and other brushy areas of California and the Northwest. Often seen scratching at the ground in large groups or dashing forward on blurred legs, California Quail are common but unobtrusive. They flush to cover if scared, so approach them gently.

More ID Info

Find This Bird

Look for this bird in dry, patchy, low vegetation, and listen for the prominent Chi-ca-go call. These birds may forage calmly quite close to you, but will flush to cover if you startle them.

Other Names

Colín de California (Spanish)

Colin de Californie (French)

Backyard Tips

You can attract California Quail to your yard by sprinkling grain or birdseed on the ground and providing dense shrubbery nearby for cover. Find out more about what this bird likes to eat and what feeder is best by using the Project FeederWatch Common Feeder Birds bird list.

Cool Facts

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California Quail Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

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The California Quail is a handsome, round soccer ball of a bird with a rich gray breast, intricately scaled underparts, and a curious, forward-drooping head plume. Its stiffly accented Chi-ca-go call is a common sound of the chaparral and other brushy areas of California and the Northwest.