Gambel's Quail

 
 
 
     

YouTube Video

INTRODUCTION

Helloooooooooo! This page was created to teach you all about the Gamble’s Quail. It is a member of the bird family. You can easily spot the Quail by its feather on the top of its head. You can often see one adult Quail and several babies running behind it during the spring. Explore this page to find out many more interesting things about this super cute bird.
 


WHO AM I?
I am the Gamble’s Quail. I have grey, black, and white feathers, and the males have dark red feathers, sometime. Some people say I am pear shaped. I can have up to a 14 inch wingspan, although I only weigh about 6 ounces. I like to make a ka-KAA-ka-ka sound when I am trying to call a mate. Read on to learn more awesome facts about me!


WHERE DO I LIVE?
I live in the Sonoran desert of Arizona and Mexico although you can find me in New Mexico as well. I also like to live along the Colorado River and Rio Grande River. I make my nest in brushy and thorny vegetation. I like to live around all or my friends as well in something called a covey. It provides nice protection for me to raise my young.


WHAT DO I EAT?
I like to eat a wide variety of choices that I can find throughout the desert. Seeds, grass, shrubs, trees, and fruits just to name a few. I like to eat whatever I can find off of the ground. I normally go looking for food in the morning or afternoon. Something really cool about me is, I get my source of water mostly from the food I eat. I only drink ground water when I get the rare opportunity too, in the desert when it rains.


HOW DO I LOOK?
I have a very distinct plumage on the top of my head that makes me easily recognizable. It bobbles back and forward as I walk along. I have mostly grey feathers, but on my wings you will often see black and white speckles. The male version of me has a gorgeous dark red color to it on the head and belly. As said before I am pear shaped and not that large. 

male                  female


HOW DO I REPRODUCE?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I start to pair up with a mate around March. I have ten to twelve eggs at a time that take three weeks to hatch. During this time I keep a close watch on my eggs which stay in a nest. My babies all hatch on the very same day. The peak month for offspring is late April.

                               


 
 
 
 
 
FUN FACTS
-Quails enjoy community dust baths.

-Male quails try and get female quails attention by offering them food.

-A man named Gamble discovered the quail, so he names this species after himself. 

-All quail eggs hatch on the very same day!

-Humans are the quails biggest predator.


ACTIVITY

With the help of your teacher, create your own quail head feather dress with, strips of paper, markers, scissors, and tape and of course feathers. On the back write one fact you have learned about quails to share with the class. You can take this a step further and parade around your campus with your awesome quail feather heardress.
 
 
ASSESSMENT


The information on this page was found from the following websites:
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