California quail

American  

[kal-uh-fawrn-yuh kweyl, -fawr-nee-uh] / ˌkæl əˈfɔrn yə 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

Example Sentences

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

In California it is known as the Arizona quail, while the sportsmen of Arizona refer to it as the California quail.

From Game Birds and Game Fishes of the Pacific Coast by Payne, Harry Thom