The elegant quail is a species of New World quail endemic to Pacific-slope thorn forest of north-western Mexico, from southern Sonora to Nayarit. These are common, mainly ground-dwelling birds, and the IUCN has rated them as being a "species of least concern".
Region
Pacific slope of northwestern Mexico
Typical Environment
Found from southern Sonora through Sinaloa to Nayarit, mainly in Sinaloan thornscrub and tropical dry forest. It frequents brushy arroyos, cactus-studded scrub, dry deciduous woodland edges, and secondary growth. Birds are typically encountered on the ground in dense cover or along weedy field margins. It avoids closed-canopy forest and very open desert, favoring patchy shrublands and agricultural mosaics.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
The elegant quail is a ground-dwelling New World quail with a distinctive long, wispy crest that curves forward, especially prominent in males. It prefers to run through brush rather than fly, bursting into short, explosive flights only when pressed. Coveys often use dust-bathing sites and low, dense cover to avoid predators. It adapts well to lightly disturbed habitats such as field edges and thorn scrub.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with low, explosive flushes
Social Behavior
Outside the breeding season it forms coveys that move together while foraging and roosting. Pairs form in the breeding season, and nests are shallow ground scrapes hidden under grass tussocks or shrubs. Clutches are relatively large, and both cover and group vigilance reduce predation risk.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations include sharp, whistled contact calls and rapid chattering notes used to keep coveys together. Males give louder, ringing whistles and cackles during territorial displays, often from a low perch or mound.
Plumage
Finely mottled and vermiculated brown and gray upperparts with scaled patterning on the breast and belly; flanks show chestnut tones with pale streaking. Males have a long, slender, forward-curving crest and more contrasting facial pattern; females are duller with a shorter crest.
Diet
It feeds on a mix of seeds, grains, and green shoots, supplemented by leaves and small fruits. Insects such as beetles, ants, and grasshoppers are taken more frequently in the breeding season and by growing chicks. It scratches and pecks at the ground, often turning leaf litter to uncover food.
Preferred Environment
Foraging occurs along brushy edges, thornscrub understory, dry washes, and lightly grazed or agricultural margins. Coveys often feed near cover, retreating quickly into dense shrubs when alarmed.
