nature, Photography

Autumn Quail

35 Comments

Very unusually, this family group of quail crossed a footpath in front of me. I wanted to get some photos of them and crept up very gradually behind them when they slowed down to investigate something that interested them.

I was fortunately able to get a few decent photos of these very small, very speedy little birds that startle so extremely easily.

Although their distinctive call is commonly heard in the summer, they’re not often seen as they are trying to raise their tiny young out of sight of predators and are also attempting to avoid the heat. Once autumn arrives though, I usually see them more often, but I still am challenged to try to get good pictures since they move so swiftly and avoid humans so thoroughly.

Although these 280 gram birds (10 ounces) can fly and will if they have to, they prefer to run and they sure can! They must be the avian equivalent of the Olympic sprinting team!

Happy Wednesday from the quick (and very cute) quail of the Okanagan Valley.

35 thoughts on “Autumn Quail”

  2. Oh wow. What a display there. I have only seen quail’s through other bloggers with not having those birds in the UK. But I have never seen that many in one photo. 😊🥰

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    1. In this region they tend to stick together in family groups of about 20-25. This works well for them because they will coordinate as a group against predators. Years ago, my dog stuck his head under a bush and about 20 quail burst out, really scaring both of us! I had no idea there were any birds there at all, but there were probably some chicks or nests and the group was distracting us away. Good protection for these little birds.

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  3. They all look so elegant, with their little top feathers. Quail, pheasant and grouse are such strange birds. We encounter grouse from time to time and would not know they are there until they start making their nervous noises and dashing about. I think these birds are quite neurotic, but so nice to see and photograph. Happy Wednesday Lynette. Allan

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    1. Thanks, Allan. They really are very cute looking with those silly little feathers. In a post from a couple of years back you referred to them as “fascinators” which I think is a perfect description.

      The quail behaviour – here at least – tends to be fairly evolved in that I won’t know they’re nearby unless I get too close to their chicks or nests and then 20 of them will burst out from under a bush, scaring the crap out of anything living – this happened to me and my dog a few years ago! Once autumn comes this behaviour tends to drop off a lot but yes, they are among the most nervous birds ever. Agreed – the grouse, pheasants and partridges are neurotic. Good word for them. Their nervous noises lead the predators to them, it seems!

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    1. These are California quail that have migrated here naturally, I understand (except for Vancouver Island; they were brought there and released about a 100 years ago so are technically invasive although they apparently fit in well). I don’t think they have arrived in Alberta; they seem not to have moved any further north or east than the Okanagan. They are definitely very cute birds. So rotund and with that silly little feather! Cheers.

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    1. I do, too. They’re so cute. Creekside Road is a pretty area of town. It’s not uncommon to see about 20 or so quail come out from under a parking lot hedge on one side and run across the pavement to the next one. They really are everywhere.

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        1. I think it took a very long time – something like a century or longer – for them to gradually move this far. They probably ran. 😉 Yes, their calls and the sort of talking they do among themselves is very cute. 😊

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    1. I literally was creeping up on them, hoping they wouldn’t hear me, but I think they were quite distracted by what they were interested in in the underbrush. I got off a few quick shots because even the camera noise will send them running!

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