Illustration from National Geographic's Field Guide to the Birds of North America
Mountain Quail
Oreortyx pictus
April 7, 1806, near the mouth of the Multnomah River, Oregon.
A large quail with a long straight head plume. Brown above, with gray head, neck, and breast; chestnut throat; chestnut flanks with bold white bars. Female similar, but duller. Length: 10.5-11.5 in (27-29 cm).
Dry mountains, brushy wooded areas, and chaparral.
Resident in Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and California. Introduced to southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
This quail migrates on foot from its high-elevation breeding territory to protected valleys, where it winters in coveys of 6 to 12 birds.
