Photo: Becky Matsubara from El Sobrante, California / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
California Quail
Callipepla californica
California Quail (Callipepla californica) — Gamebirds of North America.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The California Quail (Callipepla californica) is a member of the Odontophoridae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 166 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Galliformes
- Family Odontophoridae New World Quail
- Genus Callipepla
- Species californica
Quick facts
- Weight
- 166 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Odontophoridae
- Order
- Galliformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Male vs female
Males have a black face and throat boldly outlined in white, a chestnut patch on a black-scaled belly, a grey breast, and a longer forward-drooping black plume; females are plainer greyish-brown with no bold face pattern and a shorter plume.
Juvenile appearance
Juveniles are plain grey-brown and finely mottled/streaked, with a much-reduced topknot and lacking the adult belly scaling and bold face markings.
Similar birds
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The California Quail is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The California Quail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The California Quail (Callipepla californica) belongs to the Odontophoridae family of the order Galliformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA sw Canada to Baja California.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 166 g, with a wing length of about 10.8 cm and a tail of around 8.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.1 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the California Quail?
The California Quail is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 166 g.
Where does the California Quail live?
The California Quail is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA sw Canada to Baja California, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the California Quail belong to?
The California Quail (Callipepla californica) belongs to the Odontophoridae family, in the order Galliformes.
What does the California Quail eat?
The California Quail is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the California Quail migrate?
The California Quail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the California Quail endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the California Quail make?
1 real field recording of the California Quail — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the California Quail's range?
The California Quail has a mapped global range of about 1.1 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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