California Wildlife Series - California Quail - Callipepla Californica Stock Photo

Male quail perched on Aeonium Swartkop plant in a San Diego California garden. The California quail (Callipepla californica), also known as the California valley quail or Valley quail, is a small ground-dwelling bird in the New World quail family. These birds have a curving crest or plume, made of six feathers, that droops forward: black in males and brown in females the flanks are brown with white streaks. HTBphotos by John and Katharina Notarianni for websites, print and other media.