Male
Credit: Marianne Bush

North American field guide

Gambel's Quail

Callipepla gambelii

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Identification

Field notes

28 cm (11") Western deserts, scrublands.

Male: gray above, black throat and belly patch. Chestnut sides. Distinctive tear-drop shaped forehead plume or crest.

Female: gray above. Distinctive tear-drop shaped forehead plume or crest.

Similar to California Quail but underparts are not scaled.

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Where it lives

Distribution maps

Source legend · original intervals

Loading the rebuilt map…

Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Approximate reconstruction of a historical map. Source date unknown.

Geography: Natural Earth
Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 4 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Gambel's Quail (Female)

2 rules
Rule 1 12 criteria confidence 5
What SIZE was the TAIL ?
Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?
Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
Yellow · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Conical and thick · Hooked · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Very short · Short · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?
Crest of feathers on top of the head · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Robin-sized · Pigeon-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Chicken-like ground bird
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Southwestern United States
result:301-gambel-s-quail-female:1:1 Source: 301 Gambel's Quail (Female), row 1
Rule 2 12 criteria confidence 2
What SIZE was the TAIL ?
Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?
Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
Yellow · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Conical and thick · Hooked · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Very short · Short · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?
Crest of feathers on top of the head · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Robin-sized · Pigeon-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Chicken-like ground bird
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Northwestern Canada or United States
result:301-gambel-s-quail-female:2:1 Source: 301 Gambel's Quail (Female), row 2

Gambel's Quail (Male)

2 rules
Rule 1 11 criteria confidence 5
What SIZE was the TAIL ?
Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?
Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Conical and thick · Hooked · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Very short · Short · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?
Light area running up the side of the neck or head · Crest of feathers on top of the head · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Robin-sized · Pigeon-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Chicken-like ground bird
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Southwestern United States
result:300-gambel-s-quail-male:1:1 Source: 300 Gambel's Quail (Male), row 1
Rule 2 11 criteria confidence 2
What SIZE was the TAIL ?
Very short · Short · Medium · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?
Rufous (dull-red or rust-colored) · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Conical and thick · Hooked · Downcurved · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Very short · Short · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?
Light area running up the side of the neck or head · Crest of feathers on top of the head · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Robin-sized · Pigeon-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Chicken-like ground bird
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Northwestern Canada or United States
result:300-gambel-s-quail-male:2:1 Source: 300 Gambel's Quail (Male), row 2