The scaled quail, also commonly called blue quail or cottontop, is a species of the New World quail family. It is a bluish gray bird found in the arid regions of the Southwestern United States to Central Mexico. This species is an early offshoot of the genus Callipepla, diverging in the Pliocene.
Region
Southwestern United States and northern–central Mexico
Typical Environment
Scaled quail inhabit arid and semi-arid grasslands, desert scrub, and open thorny savannas with scattered shrubs such as mesquite, yucca, and cactus. They favor gently rolling terrain with patches of low cover interspersed with open ground for running and feeding. Agricultural edges and rangelands are often used, especially where native forbs and seeds remain. They generally avoid dense brush and tall, continuous grass. Proximity to water can be important during drought, though they are adapted to dry conditions.
Altitude Range
200–2200 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Also called the blue quail or cottontop, the scaled quail is named for the distinctive scaled pattern on its plumage. It prefers to run rather than fly and explodes into short, rapid flights only when pressed. Coveys can be quite large outside the breeding season, offering safety in numbers in open, arid landscapes.
Temperament
social and wary
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with explosive flush; prefers running
Social Behavior
Outside the breeding season they form coveys, often 10–30 birds, that roost and forage together on the ground. Breeding pairs are typically monogamous, nesting in shallow ground scrapes concealed under grasses or shrubs. Clutches are large, and broods are precocial, following adults soon after hatching. Coveys may use low perches such as fence posts for lookout and calling.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Their calls are sharp, whistled notes and chatters, often carrying across open country. A series of clear, piping whistles serves as contact and assembly calls. Alarm calls are harsher, rapid clucks as covey members scatter or run.
Plumage
Bluish-gray overall with dark-edged feathers that create a scaled pattern on the neck, breast, and belly; back is browner and lightly mottled. A short, pale, cottony crest gives a ‘cottontop’ look. Tail is short and square; wings are rounded.
Diet
They feed mainly on seeds of grasses and forbs, including croton, sunflower, and mesquite, and take green shoots and leaves seasonally. Insects such as grasshoppers, beetles, and ants become especially important in spring and summer. Chicks rely heavily on protein-rich insects during early growth. They opportunistically use waste grain where available and will consume cactus fruits in dry periods.
Preferred Environment
Foraging occurs on open ground with scattered low cover, often along desert grasslands, shrub edges, and lightly grazed rangelands. They frequently feed near brushy escape cover and may visit water sources during hot, dry spells.
