Gambel's Quail
Callipepla gambelii
Photo taken at Piestewa Peak, Phoenix, Maricopa Co., Arizona. May 2005.
These active birds travel in groups of several to more than a dozen prefering to run along the ground to flying. They use insects as food especially during the nesting period. At other times they subsist on seeds, fruits and tender sprouts. Males perch up on a tree or boulder to call - a call dear to those who love the Sonoran Desert where they live.