Gambel's
Quail
(Callipeplagambelii)
Photographed in the wild, Phoenix, Arizona Apr 2009
The name "Gambel’s" is in
recognition of William Gambel (1821-1849), an American naturalist who died on
an ill-fated winter crossing of the Sierra Nevada. Gambel’s quail inhabit
brushy and thorny vegetation of south-western deserts. Also known as the Arizona,
top-knot or desert quail, they are found in dry areas of the south-western
United States and parts of Mexico. They have also been introduced to Hawaii.
Female Male
Gambel's Quail form large groups or
coveys as large as 200 during the winter in Arizona. During the spring, these
large flocks break up and the males begin to draw females to their chosen
territory. Fights between rival males can become quite vicious while they try
to draw mates into their territories
No comments:
Post a Comment