Female (left) and male California quail. Photo: Matt Winter

Californian quail

August 2019

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August 2019

The California quail was introduced from England as a game bird in 1862 to provide sport for the settlers. It’s thrived in the rough and scrubby nature of the New Zealand countryside.

Conservation status Introduced and naturalised. Features California quail are about the same size as a blackbird but look plumper. They are predominantly a blue-grey colour with a creamy chest covered in distinctive black scallop shapes giving a mottled appearance when seen from a distance. The female is generally slightly smaller and lacks the black chin […]
August 2019

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August 2019

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