Quail Fact Friday
Did you know that scaled quail, also known as the “blue quail” or “cottontops,” are one of the six quail species native to the United States?
Thriving in the arid grasslands of the Southwest and into Central Mexico, scaled quail are built for tough country. Females typically lay 9–16 eggs per clutch (most often 12–14), and their eggs incubate for 21–23 days. Scaled quail also commonly double-brood (producing two nests in a single season).
When it comes to food, scaled quail are opportunists. They eat seeds year-round, favoring mesquite, snakeweed, ragweed, sunflower, plus leaves, fruits, and insects. In summer, their diet shifts to green vegetation and bugs, both of which also provide crucial moisture in dry landscapes.
Quail Fact Friday is presented by irishsetterboots
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