Photo: Greg Schechter from San Francisco, USA / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Scaled Quail
Callipepla squamata
Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata) — 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 Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata) is a member of the Odontophoridae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 184 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 squamata
Quick facts
- Weight
- 184 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Odontophoridae
- Order
- Galliformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Scaled Quail is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Scaled Quail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata) is a species of bird in the Odontophoridae family, part of the order Galliformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA sw USA and nc Mexico.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 184 g, with a wing length of about 11.6 cm and a tail of around 7.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Scaled Quail?
The Scaled Quail is a large bird that weighs around 184 g.
Where does the Scaled Quail live?
The Scaled Quail is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA sw USA and nc Mexico, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Scaled Quail belong to?
The Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata) belongs to the Odontophoridae family, in the order Galliformes.
What does the Scaled Quail eat?
The Scaled Quail is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Scaled Quail migrate?
The Scaled Quail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Scaled 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 Scaled Quail make?
1 real field recording of the Scaled 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 Scaled Quail's range?
The Scaled Quail has a mapped global range of about 1.4 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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