THE COOLEST BIRD IN THE SOUTHWEST REGION

Today’s photo is from one of my many recent trips to Arizona. As I am unable to travel, it;’s a good time to reminisce. This is a photo of Gambel’s Quail, named in honor of William Gambel, a 19th-century naturalist and explorer of the Southwestern United States. These non-migratory birds are surprisingly fast and are a pleasure to watch. They are rarely seen in flight and spend most of their time on the ground scurrying around the desert.  These are monogamous birds which rarely breed in colonies. . The female chicks which are precocial, leaving the nest with their parents within hours of hatching.