What are the different kinds of quails?

Quail species distribution presents a bit of a riddle. While all 15 or so quail species prefer to inhabit forests and woodlands, each quail variety displays slightly different features resulting from the birds' environmental adaptations. During mating season, quail often gather with family groups that can reach 100 birds. read more

One of the most decorative of all quails is the Gambel quail which abounds in Arizona and Mexico. Males are distinguished by that black top-knot plume and yellow belly, while females possess it to a smaller degree. A close relation would be the state bird of California, the Valley quail or Catalina quail. read more

Blue Quail, Coturnix adansonii; Asian Blue Quail aka Chinese Painted Quail, King Quail or Blue-breasted Quail, Coturnix chinensis: This is the smallest of the true quails. They are endemic to southeastern Asia to Oceania. It is sometimes referred to as "Button Quail" - but button quails belong to the hemipode family, which is unrelated. read more

The Mountain Quail is the largest Native Quail species in the U.S. weighing in between 189 - 262 grams (6.7 to 9.2 ounces). The Mountain Quail was around before the Bobwhite. They inhabit the mountainous areas of California and Oregon, parts of Nevada and there is even a subspecies in the mountains of northern Baja California. read more