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The state bird of California, the California Valley Quail is a handsome, round soccer ball of a bird with a rich gray breast, intricately scaled underparts, and a curious, forward-drooping head plume. The California Valley Quail’s head plume, or topknot, looks like a single feather, but it is actually a cluster of six overlapping feathers. They can be found in the coastal sagebrush, chaparral, foothills, and high desert of California and the northwestern United States. In the wild they are mainly a seed eater; also eating leaves, flowers, grains, berries, acorns, and invertebrates such as caterpillars, beetles, mites, millipedes, and snails.

They are a fun and interesting addition to your aviary. Mostly quiet but have an interesting call that sounds as if they are singing chi-ca-go. Also, the male and female will sometimes engage in a “singing competition” where they will alternately trade notes in a sort of bird symphony!

Our bloodline comes from several different breeders from across the country. The eggs have a creamy lightly speckled shell. They hatch in about 23 days and the chicks are lively and quick with just a hint of feathers forming a tiny plume. The chicks develop quickly and are able to fly in a short while. Our Phil's Best Starter Brooder Kit is a great way to give the chicks the optimum chance at survival and is a safe and secure environment to keep them contained.