New World Quails (Odontophoridae)
California Quail (Callipepla californica) - HBW 2, p. 424
French: Colin de Californie
German: Schopfwachtel
Spanish: Colín de California
Other common names: Valley Quail
Taxonomy: Tetrao californicus Shaw, 1798, Monterey, California, USA.
Often placed in Lophortyx. Sometimes considered conspecific with C. gambelii, with which forms superspecies. Eight subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- californica (Shaw, 1798) - N Oregon and W Nevada, NW USA, S to Los Coronados Is, Baja California, NW Mexico; also (probably introduced) from S British Columbia, SW Canada, SE to Colorado, WC USA.
- orecta (Oberholser, 1932) - SE Oregon and extreme NE California, W USA.
- brunnescens (Ridgway, 1884) - coastal N California to SC California, W USA; also (probably introduced) Vancouver I, Canada.
- californica (Shaw, 1798) - N Oregon and W Nevada, NW USA, S to Los Coronados Is, Baja California, NW Mexico; also (probably introduced) from S British Columbia, SW Canada, SE to Colorado, WC USA.
- orecta (Oberholser, 1932) - SE Oregon and extreme NE California, W USA.
- brunnescens (Ridgway, 1884) - coastal N California to SC California, W USA; also (probably introduced) Vancouver I, Canada.
- catalinensis (Grinnell, 1906) - Santa Catalina I, off SW California, W USA; also (probably introduced) nearby Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz Is.
- canfieldae (van Rossem, 1939) - EC California, W USA.
- plumbea (Grinnell, 1926) - S California, W USA, to N Baja California, NW Mexico.
- decoloratus (van Rossem, 1946) - C & S Baja California, NW Mexico.
- achrustera (Peters, 1923) - extreme S Baja California, W Mexico.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
-
Male California Quail in breeding plumage
Locality Walnut Creek, Contra Costa County, California, USA (United States)
Ethan Winning 9 May 2012 6 weeks ago 4.6 -
Male California Quail
Locality Walnut Creek Open Spaces, Walnut Creek, Contra Costa County, California, USA (United States)
Ethan Winning 16 May 2011 5 weeks ago 4.5 -
Female California Quail on fence at Bob Weiscarver Quail Rehabilitation Area
Locality Old Borges Ranch, Walnut Creek, Contra Costa County, California, USA (United States)
Ethan Winning 9 October 2012 2 weeks ago ADDED LAST MONTH 4.3 -
Mating Pair California Quail
Locality Walnut Creek, Contra Costa County, California, USA (United States)
Ethan Winning 26 September 2012 5 weeks ago 4 -
A proud male looking disheveled
Locality Gaviota, Santa Barbara County, California, USA (United States)
Justin Watts 7 May 2011 2 years ago 3.9 -
Male bird sitting on a fence
Locality Utah, USA (United States)
Socktopus 20 May 2011 1 day ago ADDED LAST WEEK 3.5 -
A close-up of the head of a male.
Locality Twin Lakes, British Columbia, Canada
Josep del Hoyo 14 August 2012 35 weeks ago 3.5 -
Male, standing
Locality North Island, New Zealand
Grant Swain 10 November 2007 3 years ago 3.5 -
A male perched on a fence post.
Locality Twin Lakes, British Columbia, Canada
Josep del Hoyo 14 August 2012 35 weeks ago 3.4 -
A female bird perched in a bush.
Locality Point Reyes National Seashore, California, USA (United States)
Dc.Owl 14 August 2008 3 years ago 3.4 -
A close-up of a male.
Locality Moscow Zoo, Moscow, Western Russia, Russia
Josep del Hoyo 2 June 2009 2 years ago 3.3 -
Male perched on fence. Locality Lake Skinner Recreation Area, Riverside County, California, USA (United States) (ssp californica)
Conan Guard 22 March 2009 4 years ago 3.3 -
couple between rocks at Catavina - Central Desert Locality Baja California State, Mexico (Northern)
Thore Noernberg 12 February 2013 15 weeks ago 3.3 -
A female on the ground with a chick underneath.
Locality Perth Zoo, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Josep del Hoyo 29 November 1990 45 weeks ago 3 -
A bird perched on telephone wire.
Locality Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile
Patricio Mackenzie 8 May 2010 3 years ago 3 -
Bird on roof
Locality Kennewick, Benton County, Washington State, USA (United States) (ssp californica)
Paul A. Davis 10 May 2008 3 years ago 3 -
male with 2 females running between rocks at Catavina - Central Desert Locality Baja California State, Mexico (Northern)
Thore Noernberg 12 February 2013 15 weeks ago 2.8 -
A bird resting.
Locality Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile
Patricio Mackenzie 17 October 2009 3 years ago 2.8 -
Male, walking along a path in a city park Locality Solano County, California, USA (United States)
Kainushi 8 August 2011 1 year ago 2.7 -
A male on the ground.
Locality Parc des Oiseaux, Villars-les-Dombes, Ain, Rhône-Alpes, France
Josep del Hoyo 8 April 1990 44 weeks ago 2.7 -
Male Quail parading the rim of a trash dumpster. Locality Joshua Tree, San Bernardino County, California, USA (United States)
Stino 4 February 2007 3 years ago 2.7 -
Foraging flock Locality Point Reyes National Seashore, California, USA (United States)
Patrick Ellsworth 11 December 2010 1 year ago 2 -
Individual walking in stubbly area.
Locality Monterey County, California, USA (United States)
Miriam Bauman 23 September 2005 2 years ago 1.9
