A plump, boldly patterned quail of the Southwest. Adult male has white head with swirling black marks around the eye, rufous crown, black underparts dotted with white, black upperparts with white streaks and fine brown barring, and very short legs and tail. Adult female retains vestige of male's white head pattern but is indistinctly plumaged overall, rufous-brown below with white streaks, and patterned above with fine streaks, bars, and dark spots.

Length: 22 (cm) Wingspan: 38 (cm)

Voice:

Trembling, eerie, descending whinny calls; also low, soft notes. Wings whirr in flight.

Habitat:

Canyons, grassy woodlands, open oak forest, arid mountain draws.

Behavior:

Typically in pairs or small coveys of fewer than 10 birds. Freezes and flushes when nearly underfoot. Nest is in a ground scrape lined with and partially covered by fine grasses.

Feeding:

Forages on ground, scratching in loose dirt or leaves and pecking at bulbs, roots, nuts, seeds, and occasional insects.