California quail
[ kal-uh-fawrn-yuh-kweyl, -fawr-nee-uh ]
noun
a grayish-brown, slightly bluish true quail, Callipepla californica, with a distinctive forward-curving plume, or topknot: inhabiting woodlands and shrubby areas of western North America, it is often confused with the Gambel's quail, but the California quail has a somewhat shorter topknot and, on the male, a dark brown cap.
Origin of California quail
1An Americanism dating back to 1825–35
- Also called val·ley quail .
Words Nearby California quail
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
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