Scaled Quail

(Callipepla squamata)

• Avicultural Data
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• Bibliography
• Links

Callipepla squamata Photo by Dan Cowell

Other Names: Blue Racer Quail, Blue Quail, Cotton-top Quail, Top-knot Quail.

Range: From southeastern Colorado and sothwestern Kansas south through the Oklahoma Panhandle, New Mexico, western Texas and southern Arizona into central Mexico. Has been introduced into parts of Nevada and Washington.

Subspecies: Four subspecies are generally recongized: C. s. hargravi, C. s. squamata, C. s. pallida and C. s. castanogastris. castanogastris is known as the Chestnut-bellied and is commonly seen in captivity. hargravi is the dominate race in the United States.

Habitat: Arid grassland, scrub and desert.

Description: Sexes similar. As their name suggests, the breast, belly, neck, back are bluish-gray feathers that are tipped with black that gives a "scaled" appearance. The white "cottontop" crest varies from white in the males to a light buff in the females. Terry Smith offers the following tip on sexing Scaled Quail: "If you are sexing Blue Sacled Quail, the head and the crest of the male are a bit larger than those of the hen. The most distinguishing feature is the faint yellow color which appears on the cock's throat. The hen's throat is ashy-gray in color." Females may also have dusky streaks on the throat (hargravi). The Chestnut-bellied males have a chestnut-red color in the belly. Hens may also show this color, but not as distinctive as the males.

Status in Wild: Still widely hunted in the American west, this species has shown a steady decline in the past 40 years.

Avicultural Data

Status in Aviculture: Commonly kept in captivity with a large viable bloodline. The Chestnut-bellied race is also popular with fanciers.

Breeding Season: As early as April and may last into September.

Breeding Age: First year.

Clutch Size: Twelve to fourteen eggs per clutch, but several clutches can be expected.

Incubation Period: 22 to 23 days.

Misc. Aviculture Notes: Scaled Quail are nervous birds by nature and will do best in an aviary that has more length than width. Provide plenty of branches and natural cover for the hens to lay their eggs under and to provide the birds with shelter to hide.

They are winter hardy, provided you can place several birds in one aviary for them to form a natual covey.

These quail love treats of mealworms and lots of fresh greens.

Click on thumbnails for larger views.

Photo Credits
(l to r): 1, John Renwick; 2, Jan Harteman.

• Hayes, LB. 1995. Upland Game Birds: Their Breeding and Care. Leland Hayes, Valley Center, CA.
• Johnsgard, P.A. 1988. The Quails, Partridges, and Francolins of the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.
• Madge, S., McGowan, P. 2002. Pheasants, Partridges, and Grouse. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.

Links related to this species. Please note, links will open in a new window.

• Molecular systematics of the Scaled Quail complex (genus Callipepla). - Article from Robert M. Zink & Rachelle Blackwell, published in The Auk, 1988.
• Scaled Quail - BirdLife species factsheet
• Scaled Quail - Mangoverde World Bird Guide Species Page; Images & Sounds.
• Scaled Quail - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter.
• Scaled Quail Habitat Management - Information from New Mexico State University.
• Wikipedia - Scaled Quail - Wikipedia's species page.