Species: Oreortyx pictus
Mountain Quail
Species
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Encyclopedia of Puget Sound
Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Craniata
Class
Aves
Order
Galliformes
Family
Odontophoridae
Genus
Oreortyx
NatureServe
Classification
Other Global Common Names
Codorniz de Montaña - Colin des montagnes
Informal Taxonomy
Animals, Vertebrates - Birds - Other Birds
Formal Taxonomy
Animalia - Craniata - Aves - Galliformes - Odontophoridae - Oreortyx - Formerly in family Phasianidae; placed in family Odontophoridae by AOU (1997).
Ecology and Life History
Migration
true - true - false - A year-round resident at lower elevations. Populations at higher elevations undertake vertical migrations (sometimes downward on foot as far as 20-40 miles, or may fly across canyons) to lower winter habitat (Terres 1980).
Non-migrant
true
Locally Migrant
true
Food Comments
In spring and summer feeds on herbaceous vegetation especially leaves, buds, and flowers of legumes) and some insects (grasshoppers, beetles, ants). Eats seeds, acorns, and fruits during the rest of the year (Terres 1980). Chicks eat mainly flower heads, seeds, and relatively few insects.
Reproduction Comments
Nesting occurs mainly from April to mid-July, with geographic variability (earliest at low elevations). Females (sometimes males) incubate 7-10 eggs for 24-25 days. Precocial nestlings are tended by both parents, or by either adult. Young can fly about 14 days after hatching. Family group may stay together through fall and winter. One brood per year.
Ecology Comments
Forms coveys in late summer and early fall. Coveys usually number 3-20 (often 5-10) birds, break up in late winter. Relatively sedentary in summer, but thought to travel at least 25 kilometers in some locations to avoid snow in winter (Gutierrez and Delehanty 1999). In winter daily movements usually are less than 1000 yards; in summer usually less than 1/2 mile (Bureau of Land Management, no date). Densities of 9-30 individuals/100 ha have been recorded in different California habitats.
Length
28
Weight
233
Conservation Status
NatureServe Global Status Rank
G5
Global Status Last Reviewed
2005-01-27
Global Status Last Changed
1996-11-25
Other Status
LC - Least concern
Distribution
Conservation Status Map
<img src="http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/GetMapGif?CA.BC=SE&US.CA=SNR&US.ID=S1&US.NV=S3&US.OR=S4&US.WA=S1" alt="Conservation Status Map" style="width: 475px; height: auto;" />
Global Range
Resident from southwestern British Columbia (on Vancouver Island, where introduced, perhaps also native), western and southern Washington (introduced), and central Idaho south through the mountains of California and northern and western Nevada to northern Baja California, Mexico (AOU 1983). California encompasses the major part of the range. Elevational range about 1500-10,000 ft.