The Gambel's Quail, Callipepla gambelii, is a small ground-dwelling bird in the New World quail family. It inhabits the desert regions of Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Texas and Mexico. Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Phyla Porifera (sponges) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria (coral, jellyfish, anenomes) Placozoa (trichoplax) Subregnum Bilateria (bilateral symmetry) Acoelomorpha (basal) Orthonectida (parasitic to flatworms, echinoderms, etc. ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicatas Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Orders Many - see section below. ... Families Megapodidae Numididae Odontophoridae Phasianidae Meleagrididae Tetraonidae Cracidae Mesitornithidae The Galliformes is an order of birds containing the turkeys, grouse, quails and pheasants. ... Genera Dendrortyx Oreortyx Callipepla Philortyx Colinus Odontophorus Dactylortyx Cyrtonyx Rhynchortyx The New World quails are small birds only distantly related to the quails of the Old World, but named for their similar appearance and habits. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... William Gambel (1823 - December 13, 1849) was an American naturalist and collector. ... Genera Dendrortyx Oreortyx Callipepla Philortyx Colinus Odontophorus Dactylortyx Cyrtonyx Rhynchortyx The New World quails are small birds only distantly related to the quails of the Old World, but named for their similar appearance and habits. ... A dune in the Egyptian desert In geography, a desert is a landscape form or region that receives little precipitation - less than 250 mm (10 in) per year. ... Official language(s) English Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 6th 295,254 km² 500 km 645 km 0. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 3rd 410,000 km² 402. ... Official language(s) English Capital Denver Largest city Denver Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 8th 269 837 km² 451 km 612 km 0. ... Official language(s) None, English and Spanish de facto Capital Santa Fe Largest city Albuquerque Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 5th 315,194 km² 550 km 595 km 0. ... Official language(s) None Capital Carson City Largest city Las Vegas Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 7th 286,367 km² 519 km 788 km 0. ... Official language(s) English Capital Salt Lake City Largest city Salt Lake City Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 13th 219,887 km² 435 km 565 km 3. ... Official language(s) None. ...

The bird's average length is 11 inches (30 cm) with a wingspan of 14-16 inches (35-40 cm). Its diet is mostly plant matter and seeds. The chicks are decidedly more insectivorous than adults. Breeding is monogamous, sometimes gregarious. The female typically lays 10-15 eggs which she incubates for 21-24 days in a simple scrape concealed in vegetation, often at base of rock or tree stump. The young are precocial, leaving the nest within hours of hatching. Any organism with a diet that consists chiefly of insects and similar small creatures is an insectivore. ... In biology, precocial species are those that are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. ...

This bird is named after William Gambel, an 19th century naturalist and explorer of Southwestern United States. William Gambel (1823 - December 13, 1849) was an American naturalist and collector. ... The Southwestern United States or simply the Southwest is a region of the United States that is drier in weather than the adjoining Southern United States and Western United States; the population is less dense and, with moderate Mexican and American Indian components, more ethnically varied than neighboring areas. ...

These birds are easily recognized by their top knots and scaly bellies. They are gray overall and males have a redish patch on top of their heads and black stripes across their eye.

Gambel's Quail mainly move around by walking, and can move surprisingly fast through brush and undergrowth. They are a non-migratory species and are rarely seen flying. When they do fly, they use a short explosive flight, with many rapid wingbeats and then a slow glide to the ground. They have fairly short rounded wings and long, featherless legs.

Adults are usually seen scratching for seeds with a chicken-like scratch. They will eat cracked corn form ground feeders but are generally a very shy species. In the late summer, fall and winter, the adults and immatures gather in coveys of many birds. They are often seen running throught the desert in these large groups, up to 20 individuals. In the spring, they pair off for mating and become very aggressive to eachother, often chasing eachother in circles on foot.

Sometimes these birds are seen perched in trees, but this is uncommon. They do sleep in trees, however. Most roost in large groups in protected trees, and resume foraging on the ground in the morning. Throughout the day, their call can be heard in deserts. It is a high pitched sound, simmilar to a rooster.

The only other species that Gambel's Quail can be confused with is the California Quail. They can usually be distinguished by range, but when this does not suffice, California Quail have a more scaly appearance. Binomial name Callipepla californica (Shaw, 1798) The California Quail, Callipepla californica, is a small ground-dwelling bird in the New World quail family. ... Binomial name Callipepla californica (Shaw, 1798) The California Quail, Callipepla californica, is a small ground-dwelling bird in the New World quail family. ...

References

• U. Mich. Gambel's Quail
• Callipepla gambelii (TSN 175877). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 9 February 2006.