Mountain Quail

General Description

A chunky, ground-dwelling bird with a short tail, the Mountain Quail is grayish brown in color with bold white bars on its side, rufous under-tail coverts, and a brown throat patch bordered with white. Males and females appear similar, and both have a long, straight feather plume rising from atop their heads.

Mountain Quails are Rare in Western Washington year round.

Habitat

Mountain Quail are found in dense cover with scattered open areas on slopes in foothills and mountains. They use the dense thickets resulting from fires or clearcuts, and they are seldom found far from this cover. Scotch broom thickets provide ideal cover for Mountain Quail, as do alder thickets along streams. In summer, the quail require a source of water, which may limit their nesting range.

Behavior

Mountain Quail use a variety of foraging techniques. They pick up items from the ground, scratching among the leaf litter, use their feet to dig for bulbs, climb in shrubs and trees to pick berries and leaves, and jump up on low plants to reach berries and seeds.

Male