Montezuma Quail
Encyclopedia
The Montezuma Quail is a stubby, secretive New World quail of Mexico
and some nearby parts of the United States
. It is also known as Mearns's Quail, the Harlequin
Quail (for the male's striking pattern), and the Fool Quail (for its behavior).
Both sexes have the back and wing coverts tan with longitudinal light-buff streaks formed by the feather shafts and circular or transversely oblong black spots arranged in bars. A crest on the nape makes the profile distinctively long front-to-back. The bill is black above and bluish-gray below. The adult males have a striking, swirling black-and-white face pattern. A single tan plume lies flat over the crest. Their sides are blue-gray (often looking black) with bold spots, which in northern birds are white and in southern birds are white towards the front and chestnut towards the back. The middle of the chest and belly is dark brown in northern birds, lighter and tawnier in southern birds. Females have a suggestion of the male's face pattern. Their underparts are light brown with a few fine black shaft streaks and other lines. Juveniles resemble females, but the underparts are grayish with white shaft streaks and black dots. Immature males develop the adult side pattern early but do not develop the face pattern till early winter.
An unusual feature of this species is the long, sickle-shaped claws, which it uses for digging.
, Cyrtonyx ocellatus, which replaces it from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec
to northern Nicaragua
.
:
north through the interior of Mexico to the mountains of central and southeastern Arizona
, central and southwestern New Mexico
, and west Texas
. It is absent from deserts and the Río Balsas valley. There are five subspecies divided into two plumage types, northern and southern, that intergrade in central Veracruz
.
The habitat is open woods, most often oak
but also pine
-oak and juniper
, with grass at least 30 cm (1 ft) tall. Slopes of hills and canyons are particularly favored. The range is decreasing and becoming fragmented.
These birds are quite sedentary. A pair or covey typically forages within 50 m of the place where it foraged the day before. Coveys' territories in fall and winter are only 1 to 5 hectares; in the breeding season, pairs spread out and territories may be as big as 50 hectares. Otherwise, no seasonal movements are known.
In the presence of humans, Montezuma Quail crouch motionless in tall grass instead of running. They may allow an approach as close as 1 metre before flying (taking off with a "loud, popping wing noise") and on rare occasions have been caught by hand.
and other bulb
s as well as sedge
(Cyperus esculentus
and C. sphaerolepis) tuber
s, which it digs up. The holes, often at the bases of bushes and rocks, may be as much as 8 cm deep and are a good sign of the bird's presence. Crops
sometimes contain bulbs of plants that have no above-ground growth at that season; how the birds find such bulbs is unknown.
, the Montezuma Quail is a popular game bird. Regulated hunting does not seem to affect populations much in the United States, but it may have a greater effect in Mexico. A greater threat appears to be cattle
grazing
, not because of competition for food but because it depletes the cover that the quail hide in. Grazing is particularly harmful in years of low summer rains. However, some grazing regimes may not harm quail populations.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and some nearby parts of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is also known as Mearns's Quail, the Harlequin
Harlequin
Harlequin or Arlecchino in Italian, Arlequin in French, and Arlequín in Spanish is the most popularly known of the zanni or comic servant characters from the Italian Commedia dell'arte and its descendant, the Harlequinade.-Origins:...
Quail (for the male's striking pattern), and the Fool Quail (for its behavior).
Description
At about 22 cm (8.75 in), it is one of the shortest quails of North America, although it weighs 180 g (6 oz), the same as some Callipepla quails that are several centimetres longer. It has an even plumper build and shorter tail than other quails.Both sexes have the back and wing coverts tan with longitudinal light-buff streaks formed by the feather shafts and circular or transversely oblong black spots arranged in bars. A crest on the nape makes the profile distinctively long front-to-back. The bill is black above and bluish-gray below. The adult males have a striking, swirling black-and-white face pattern. A single tan plume lies flat over the crest. Their sides are blue-gray (often looking black) with bold spots, which in northern birds are white and in southern birds are white towards the front and chestnut towards the back. The middle of the chest and belly is dark brown in northern birds, lighter and tawnier in southern birds. Females have a suggestion of the male's face pattern. Their underparts are light brown with a few fine black shaft streaks and other lines. Juveniles resemble females, but the underparts are grayish with white shaft streaks and black dots. Immature males develop the adult side pattern early but do not develop the face pattern till early winter.
An unusual feature of this species is the long, sickle-shaped claws, which it uses for digging.
Voice
The assembly or territorial call is "six to nine notes descending in pitch", "a far-carrying, descending, quavering whinny". The male's "song" for pairing is "an eerie, melancholy, vibrant, descending whistle vwirrrrr" or "an insect-like buzzing that starts at a high pitch and descends". It is given from the ground, whereas other quails sing on such perches as the tops of fenceposts or bushes. There are other calls as well.Taxonomy
The southern populations are sometimes considered a separate species, Cyrtonyx sallei. On the other hand, the Montezuma Quail is sometimes considered conspecific with the very similar Ocellated QuailOcellated Quail
The Ocellated Quail is a species of bird in the Odontophoridae family.It is found in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua....
, Cyrtonyx ocellatus, which replaces it from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec
Isthmus of Tehuantepec
The Isthmus of Tehuantepec is an isthmus in Mexico. It represents the shortest distance between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, and prior to the opening of the Panama Canal was a major shipping route known simply as the Tehuantepec Route...
to northern Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
.
Subspecies
There are five recognized subspeciesSubspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
:
- C. m. mearnsi (NelsonEdward William NelsonEdward William Nelson was an American naturalist and ethnologist. He was born in Manchester, New Hampshire. In 1871 together with his family, he became homeless due to the Chicago Fire....
, 1900) - Mearns's Quail - western TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
to central ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and northern CoahuilaCoahuilaCoahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico... - C. m. merriami (Nelson, 1897) - Merriam's Montezuma Quail - southeastern MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
- C. m. montezumae (Vigors, 1830) - nominate - eastern Mexico
- C. m. rowleyi (AR Phillips, 1966) - Sierra de Miahuatlán in southern Mexico
- C. m. sallei (VerreauxJules VerreauxJules Pierre Verreaux was a French botanist, ornithologist and professional collector of, and trader in, natural history specimens...
, 1859) - Salle's Quail - Sierra de Michoacán in southern Mexico
Range and habitat
This species is found (or overlooked) from OaxacaOaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
north through the interior of Mexico to the mountains of central and southeastern Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, central and southwestern New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, and west Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. It is absent from deserts and the Río Balsas valley. There are five subspecies divided into two plumage types, northern and southern, that intergrade in central Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
.
The habitat is open woods, most often oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
but also pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
-oak and juniper
Juniper
Junipers are coniferous plants in the genus Juniperus of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on taxonomic viewpoint, there are between 50-67 species of juniper, widely distributed throughout the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic, south to tropical Africa in the Old World, and to the...
, with grass at least 30 cm (1 ft) tall. Slopes of hills and canyons are particularly favored. The range is decreasing and becoming fragmented.
Behavior
In fall, Montezuma Quail do not form large groups, as most American quail do. An average covey consists of eight birds, just parents and their offspring, and coveys bigger than 25 birds have been reported. At night, birds in a covey roost on southeast-facing slopes, gathered around a rock or tussock, facing outward.These birds are quite sedentary. A pair or covey typically forages within 50 m of the place where it foraged the day before. Coveys' territories in fall and winter are only 1 to 5 hectares; in the breeding season, pairs spread out and territories may be as big as 50 hectares. Otherwise, no seasonal movements are known.
In the presence of humans, Montezuma Quail crouch motionless in tall grass instead of running. They may allow an approach as close as 1 metre before flying (taking off with a "loud, popping wing noise") and on rare occasions have been caught by hand.
Feeding
The Montezuma Quail eats insects, especially in summer, as well as plants. Particularly important plant foods are OxalisOxalis
Oxalis is by far the largest genus in the wood-sorrel family Oxalidaceae: of the approximately 900 known species in the Oxalidaceae, 800 belong here...
and other bulb
Bulb
A bulb is a short stem with fleshy leaves or leaf bases. The leaves often function as food storage organs during dormancy.A bulb's leaf bases, known as scales, generally do not support leaves, but contain food reserves to enable the plant to survive adverse conditions. At the center of the bulb is...
s as well as sedge
Cyperaceae
Cyperaceae are a family of monocotyledonous graminoid flowering plants known as sedges, which superficially resemble grasses or rushes. The family is large, with some 5,500 species described in about 109 genera. These species are widely distributed, with the centers of diversity for the group...
(Cyperus esculentus
Cyperus esculentus
Cyperus esculentus is a species of sedge native to warm temperate to subtropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere, often cultivated for its edible tubers . It is an annual or perennial plant, growing to 90 cm tall, with solitary stems growing from a tuber...
and C. sphaerolepis) tuber
Tuber
Tubers are various types of modified plant structures that are enlarged to store nutrients. They are used by plants to survive the winter or dry months and provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing season and they are a means of asexual reproduction...
s, which it digs up. The holes, often at the bases of bushes and rocks, may be as much as 8 cm deep and are a good sign of the bird's presence. Crops
Crop (anatomy)
A crop is a thin-walled expanded portion of the alimentary tract used for the storage of food prior to digestion that is found in many animals, including gastropods, earthworms, leeches, insects, birds, and even some dinosaurs.- Bees :Cropping is used by bees to temporarily store nectar of flowers...
sometimes contain bulbs of plants that have no above-ground growth at that season; how the birds find such bulbs is unknown.
Reproduction
Males begin singing in February or March, but nesting does not start till July or August, the season of "monsoon" rains throughout its range. The long delay between pairing and nesting is unusual for quails. The nest is also unusual: a grass dome with one entrance, more elaborate than most nests in the family. The clutch comprises about 11 eggs (ranging from 6 to 12), which are "whitish" or "chalk-white". Incubation lasts about 25 days by both the male and the female(two days longer than that of most American quails). Males help brood the young; at least in captive birds, they may also help build the nest and incubate the eggs.Interactions with humans
Like most birds of its orderGalliformes
Galliformes are an order of heavy-bodied ground-feeding domestic or game bird, containing turkey, grouse, chicken, New and Old World Quail, ptarmigan, partridge, pheasant, and the Cracidae. Common names are gamefowl or gamebirds, landfowl, gallinaceous birds or galliforms...
, the Montezuma Quail is a popular game bird. Regulated hunting does not seem to affect populations much in the United States, but it may have a greater effect in Mexico. A greater threat appears to be cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
grazing
Grazing
Grazing generally describes a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants , and also on other multicellular autotrophs...
, not because of competition for food but because it depletes the cover that the quail hide in. Grazing is particularly harmful in years of low summer rains. However, some grazing regimes may not harm quail populations.
External links
- Montezuma Quail photos VIREO