The State Bird of California is the Quail
California has many iconic symbols, from its flag to its state flower. But one symbol that stands out among them is the official state bird – the quail. The California quail, also known as the Valley quail and California Valley quail, is a small ground-dwelling bird found throughout much of western North America.
History Of The Quail As The State Bird Of California
The choice of the quail as California’s official state bird dates back to 1931 when it was proposed by Blake Mathon and adopted by Governor C.C Young on March 16th that same year. Since then, it has become one of the most recognizable symbols of California in both national and international audiences—and its popularity only continues to grow!
Appearance And Behavior Of The Quial
The male quails are easy to spot with their distinctive black plume atop their heads while females have a more subtle brownish-gray coloration throughout their bodies. Both sexes have scaly markings on their chests and bellies which help protect them from predators while they forage for food on the ground or in bushes or low vegetation coverings like fallen leaves or twigs. In terms of behavior, these birds are very social creatures who travel in groups called coveys; these groups can number anywhere between 10–30 individuals depending upon availability of food sources nearby! They typically feed on seeds, insects, fruits, flowers and succulents such as cacti–but can also be seen eating larger prey such as mice if necessary!
Conservation Status Of The Quial
Fortunately for us humans (and unfortunately for our feathered friend), this species is not listed under any conservation status categories due to stability in population numbers over recent decades; however there may be some regional declines due to habitat destruction so continued monitoring will be important going forward! Despite this fact though, Californians can still rest assured knowing that we’re doing our part by keeping an eye out for these beautiful birds so they continue thriving into future generations!
