The California Valley Quail became the
official state bird in 1931. The widely distributed
and prized game bird is known for its hardiness and
adaptability. Plump, gray-colored and smaller than a
pigeon, the California quail sports a downward curving
black plume on top of its head and black bib with white
stripe under the beak. Flocks number from a few to 60
or more in the fall and winter months. They break into
pairs in the spring. They nest in hollows scratched
in the ground and concealed by foliage. Their eggs are
creamy white and thickly spotted with golden brown.
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