California Quail

The California quail, with its conspicuous floppy head plume of six feathers, is found in warmer areas of the province. It is also recognized by its chatter - the quail uses a variety of calls including distinctive o-ah-u or Chi-ca-go calls. You can catch a glimpse of the quail in open habitat around orchards, gardens, golf courses, farmland, shrub lands and under power lines — especially places with protective shelter such as blackberry or Scotch Broom thickets. They prefer habitat that has been altered by humans. Quail are social birds and gather in small flocks known as coveys. In winter, these coveys can grow to over 100 members. You often find these birds in a sunny patch having a dust bath, using their wings to stir up the dirt.

The California quail makes its home in fragile ecosystems such as the coastal Garry Oak, and is a new competitor with native species for food and shelter. They can be pests for humans, eating crops and getting into gardens. In Okanagan orchards and vineyards, they are causing damage to crops such as grapes and strawberries.

The California quail is a game bird popular among hunters, which is how it ended up in British Columbia. It was first introduced to BC near Victoria in the 1860s. This was followed by other releases across the province. Some populations succeeded, especially on Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and the Fraser Valley region, but quail are most common in the Okanagan Valley of the southern interior.

General issues across the Sub Region will be addressed below, followed by management plans specific to individual populations.

Issues:

• Lack of data on population dynamics in Sub Region
• There may be herbicide spraying in regions in the Sub Region that may be affecting birds that eat or depend on the sprayed plants

Goals:

• Implement studies to determine population dynamics
• Determine where and when herbicide spraying occurs, and what plant species are being treated
• Determine if the herbicide spraying is affecting California quail populations