Diet
The California quail eats seeds, plant parts like buds and sometimes insects. They feed in flocks in the early morning.
Life Cycle
Males often compete for a mate. They will mate with only one female. Females usually lay between 12-16 cream and brown speckled eggs. Their nest is a shallow hollow or scrape in the ground that is lined with grass. The female incubates the eggs for about three weeks. Both parents will care for the chicks. The chicks leave the nest shortly after birth. They make their first attempts at flight when they are about 10 days old. They will stay on the ground for about a month and then will roost in trees with the rest of the flock. The female usually has one brood a year.
Behavior
The California quail lives in coveys of 10 to 200 birds in the winter. They will stay in these flocks until they pair off during mating season. Male California quails will perch on a tree or post and call out to claim their territory. The California quail will roost in trees to avoid danger and to rest.
Image Credits: Clipart.com
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