California quail in snow
Walkin’ in a winter wonderland — Toshimi Kristof took this photo at her home in Bear Valley Springs of a covey of California quail after our recent snowfall.
Unlike some songbirds who migrate out of the area to avoid winter weather, California quail (Callipepla californica) are year-round residents who must manage to survive despite the snow and cold temperatures.
California quail have a thick insulating layer of feather to protect them from the cold, and they also roost at night or during storms in the dense foliage of evergreen trees and shrubs to shield them from the worst of the wind and weather.
California quail can also pack together on a tree limb to help conserve heat, or even form a roosting cluster on the ground inside a brush pile or some other sheltered area, when surrounding snow helps provide a protective windbreak.
During the fall and winter, quail come together to form coveys that can number from 50 to 100 birds, as smaller family units join with each other. The covey in this photo consists of 18 quail and is probably just a few couples and their surviving brood from this past summer.
California quail eat primarily seeds, especially this time of year, and after a snowstorm often forage in areas around the base of trees and shrubs where there isn’t snow. The Tehachapi wind can also be useful to them by scouring some exposed areas bare of snow, leaving open ground for them to forage.
The Nuwä (Kawaiisu or Southern Paiute) word for California quail is taara, with the “r” sound rolled to imitate the whirring beat of quail wings in sudden flight.
Natural Sightings is a regular feature of the Tehachapi News, edited by Jon Hammond, which showcases photos of the natural beauty that enhances the quality of life in Tehachapi. If you have a good quality image of plants, animals, insects, trees, birds, weather phenomena, etc., taken in the Tehachapi area, you may submit it to the Tehachapi News for possible publication. Submissions can be dropped by the News office in the form of a print or CD, or emailed to editorial@tehachapinews.com.