mountain quail
bird
Also known as: Oreortyx pictus, plumed quail
Quick Summary
The mountain quail (Oreortyx pictus) is a species of New World quail, found in California and is slightly larger than the California quail. It is described as gray and reddish with a long, straight plume and is considered perhaps the largest New World quail, weighing up to 0.5 kg (about 1 pound). Quail, in general, are small, short-tailed game birds that prefer open country and brushy borders. They primarily eat seeds and berries, but also consume leaves, roots, and insects. Their flesh and eggs are considered delicacies.12
Summary created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
2 Britannica Sources
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
