California quail

American  

[kal-uh-fawrn-yuh kwayl, -fawr-nee-uh] / ˌkæl əˈfɔrn jə ˌkweɪl, -ˈfɔr ni ə /

noun

1. 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.

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Etymology

Origin of California quail

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

California quail

The species that were observed more frequently included three types of warblers, cedar waxwing, spotted towhee and California quail.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 6, 2021

And what about the California quail, the state bird, running for cover at a pace slower than that of the advancing fire?

From Washington Post ● Nov. 16, 2018

Mice and California quail feed on newly exposed seeds on the ashen ground, and they are hunted by owls and hawks.

From Slate ● Nov. 14, 2018

Gambel’s quail occur at lower elevations to the east of California quail, where there are higher temperatures and less rainfall.

From New York Times ● Dec. 28, 2011

On this preliminary scattering depends the success of a chase after California quail.

From The Killer by Stewart Edward White

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