Quail chicks :)

[curious kat]

Finally got some pictures ...was nervous taking them, afraid that they'd take off since there wasn't much cover for them and mama was giving me the eye. Some of the pictures are of same shots...just closer up for a better view....so small & cute







...and one of the males on look out post from another day...



... I just noticed that this male has no side patches? That's odd...maybe hidden? Missing? ....he did seem upset about something...

 

[beez0404]

Great photos. When I used to live up north we hunted grouse. Excellent table fare.

 

[calisdad]

Great shots. That's interesting that he doesn't have his side stripes. I couldn't find a pic of a Gambel without them. Maybe email it to the local fish and game and they could tell you why.

 

[Meadow]

Chicks! That's completely awesome!

 

[squiggy]

What great pictures! Sweet babies..thanks!

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[texasred777]

Either 2 or 3 years ago, I let my little chi/terrier out into the back yard and saw her make straight for the corner of the patio. I didn't see anything; but knew there had to be something that caught her attention. I walked onto the patio and saw something move behind the smoker/bbq grill. It was a baby quail, no more than 2 inches long, with very few feathers. I noticed the mom and pop sitting on the privacy fence at the back of the yard. I picked Macy up so she wouldn't try to pounce on the quail and slowly walked back a few feet, thinking that maybe the mom would come after the baby. Just then I saw something moving in the grass about 5 or 6 feet to my left. It was another baby. As I looked, there were 8 baby quail scurrying toward the calling of mom and dad. Even the one on the patio ran toward them. The grown ups flew behind the fence and could no longer be seen. One of the babies was wandering about looking and stopping to listen; but didn't know which way to go. I 'herded' it toward the fence and it went under a little opening in the fence. The other babies had already gone through the opening. We have several squirrels, quail, doves, and (for now) Robins that come to the back yard. We have a cherry, pear, mini apricot, and a plum tree, that provide some 'snacks' for all of them. We very seldom gather the fruit and no one bothers the animals and birds here in town. I've some pictures that I took in 2008 of some of the quail while driving around town. In two yards, snow covered, there were approximately 300 quail. I really enjoy sitting, just looking out the back door, watching the 'critters' playing about. They are so cute. I don't regret the hunting that I used to do; but I wouldn't do it anymore.

 

[squiggy]

Great story texas..

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[mamabear]

I've been impatiently awaiting the arrival of baby quail in my yard. I can hear mama & papa, but not seen babies yet. But on the way back from town yesterday I got to see a baby fox. First for me. Even tho it was so small it's tail was huge. I had to stop & watch till he was gone. & sigh, no camera with me of course!

 

[curious kat]

Thanks everyone....yes, good story Texasred...I almost stepped on some about a week & half ago also, they were so tiny like cotton balls with legs. Hope you get to see yours soon mamabear. And a note on the Quail with no side patches...maybe he just has his wings lowered & covering them, I found a picture with a quail like that...but you still could see some of it, so I'm not really sure still.

We had another windy day (seems more so than not lately) and got these funny ones....

 

[vpnavy]

Nice photographs! Thanks for sharing...

 

[texasred777]

The quail in these pictures sure look different from the ones I've seen here in Idaho and the ones I saw in Texas. How colorful! The dove up here are a much lighter shade of gray than they were in Texas. I miss some of the birds we had in Texas, scissortails, mockingbirds, red cardinals, roadrunners, etc. There are a lot of different birds here that I would miss seeing if I went back to Texas also!

 

[calisdad]

Here's a link to the 6 major North American quail species and their distribution. I know Texas A&M 'created' a species that's all or mostly white and there is a Japanese variety called coturnix. Both of which are used in breeding programs for food and eggs. It appears to me that curious kat's are a variation of the Gambel quail.

Quail Declines ? Great Backyard Bird Count

 

[mamabear]

funny side note on quail. In E. WA. they call them suicide chickens. Sad but kinda funny. here we have suicide possem, coons & armadillo. Why did the raccoon cross the road? to show the possem it could be done. Hope my humor isn't to offensive.

 

[squiggy]

Sadly it's true..poor things..

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[curious kat]

texasred....yes, there are great birds no matter where you are.

calisdad....you're right on the type of quail & thanks for that interesting info & site!

...mamabear, it was funny. Here we have suicide buzzards & skunks...but have never seen any quail on the road...I guess ours aren't depressed.

 

[jfreakofkorn]

this is life at its purist .... got to love nature

everyone is just mixed up w/ technology and not noticing the simple beauties nowadays =/ ( IMO )

 

[Meadow]

this is life at its purist .... got to love nature

everyone is just mixed up w/ technology and not noticing the simple beauties nowadays =/ ( IMO )

I couldn't agree more, that's for sure. Seeing a mole in a hay meadow is way more interesting to me than all the junk in the mall.

 

[mamabear]

maybe I could be a counselor for depressed quail.

 

[curious kat]

Agree with you all...better a bug than a bill

mamabear...very thoughtful of you but you'd probably get paid worms & seeds.

 

[calisdad]

Had to share- yesterday I drove right by a pair of quail with their brood in the road. I stopped to see if I could get them off the asphalt. They were so small 9 of them got under the mama quail. I swear you could put 2 or 3 in a teaspoon. But 3 lay in the road not moving. I didn't want to get too close as mortality is high when separated. All of a sudden the 3 got up at once and rejoined the rest and the left the road. All turned out well I'll probably never forget it.