California Quail

The California Quail is an uncommon year-round, breeding resident on campus. It generally occurs in flocks (coveys) of anywhere from 2 to 20 birds. They may occasionally be seen in the native scrubby areas or brushy plantings on campus, but are encountered much more frequently in the CSUSB Preserve. It is a common breeding resident in southern California in brushy habitats from the coast to the lower elevations in the mountains. It is replaced by the Gambel's Quail in the desert and the Mountain Quail in the mountains.High Count: 50, Average Count: 5-15The male California Quail has mostly gray upperparts, white, scaly underparts, a reddish-brown crown and a black throat both bordered by white, and a conspicuous topknot (feather sticking out of the forehead). The female is similar to the male but had a mostly gray-brown head and a smaller topknot. The California Quail is the state bird of California.