Gambel’s Quail
Callipepla gambelii
The Gambel’s Quail is easily confused with California Quail, because of similar plumage, but there is little overlap to their ranges. Gambel’s quail are native to the deserts of southwestern USA. We can find them along the lower Colorado River Valley, the eastern Mojave and the western Sonora deserts. But their range also includes the Colorado Plateau, south through southern Arizona. In the Rio Grande Valley, they can live from New Mexico to west Texas, and the northwestern mainland of Mexico. Whereas, the California Quail’s home territory is more west and north. They are found in places such as California and the Pacific Northwest, with scattered pockets of birds in the Great Basin, Idaho and western Montana.
Taxonomists call out five subspecies of Gambel’s Quail:
- C. g. gambelii lives in eastern California, southern Nevada, and southern Utah, south to northeastern Baja California and northern Sonora (Mexico).
- C. g. ignoscens lives in southern New Mexico and western Texas.
- C. g. pembertoni lives on Tiburon Island, in the Gulf of California (Mexico).
- C. g. fulvipectus lives in southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico into northwestern Mexico.
- C. g. stephensi lives in northwestern Mexico, in southern Sonora.
I have enjoyed the company of Gambel’s Quail in places like California’s Imperial Valley and Mojave deserts. In southern Nevada, and whenever I’m in Arizona, I find them wandering the arid desert scrublands. We often hear them before we see them. I usually know when they are nearby whenever I hear the bubbly call notes or their loud Chicago songs emanating from nearby thickets. Other times, it is their shrieking cries echoing in the distance that gives them away.
23 Photos
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: (Callipepla gambelii) Near Sinclair Road. Salton Sea NWR and Vicinity. Imperial County, California USA 2007-12-25. |
Date Taken: 2007:12:25 15:28 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 350 mm, f/4.0, 1/125 |
File Name: JCD3189GambelsQuail |
| © 2007 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: (Callipepla gambelii) Near Sinclair Road. Salton Sea NWR and Vicinity. Imperial County, California USA 2007-12-25. |
Date Taken: 2007:12:25 15:31 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 400 mm, f/4.0, 1/50 |
File Name: JCD3208GambelsQuail |
| © 2007 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: (Callipepla gambelii) Salton Sea NWR. Imperial County, California USA 2008-11-22. |
Date Taken: 2008:11:22 15:21 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/50 |
File Name: JCD1514GambelsQuail |
| © 2008 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: (Callipepla gambelii) Female at the Salton Sea NWR. Imperial County, California USA 2008-11-22. |
Date Taken: 2008:11:22 15:23 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/60 |
File Name: JCD1519GambelsQuail |
| © 2008 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: (Callipepla gambelii) Sabino Canyon Reserve in Tucson, Arizona USA 2008-11-25. |
Date Taken: 2008:11:25 14:11 |
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Location:
Southeastern Shore |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 |
File Name: jcd2230GambelsQuail |
| © 2008 Jack Daynes, www.shadetree-imaging.com |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: (Callipepla gambelii) Near Lindsey Road. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California 2010-12-11. |
Date Taken: 2010:12:11 14:58 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/2000 |
File Name: JCD6400_GambelsQuail |
| © 2010 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: (Callipepla gambelii) Near Lindsey Road. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California 2010-12-11. |
Date Taken: 2010:12:11 14:58 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/2000 |
File Name: Cut_JCD6400_GambelsQuail |
| © 2010 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: (Callipepla gambelii) Female near Lindsey Road. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California 2010-12-11. |
Date Taken: 2010:12:11 14:59 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/640 |
File Name: JCD6406_GambelsQuail |
| © 2010 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: (Callipepla gambelii) Near Lindsey Road. Salton Sea Vicinity. Imperial County, California 2010-12-11. |
Date Taken: 2010:12:11 14:59 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/1000 |
File Name: JCD6411_GambelsQuail |
| © 2010 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: These are birds I met at the Gilbert Water Ranch, or Riparian Preserve which is located in the middle of the Valley of the Sun, or the Greater Phoenix Metropolian area, Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2020:02:23 7:17 |
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Location:
Gilbert Water Ranch |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 |
File Name: GambelsQuail_D5X9708-GilbertArizona |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: These are birds I met at the Gilbert Water Ranch, or Riparian Preserve which is located in the middle of the Valley of the Sun, or the Greater Phoenix Metropolian area, Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2020:02:23 7:17 |
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Location:
Gilbert Water Ranch |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 |
File Name: GambelsQuail_D5X9721-GilbertArizona |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: The quail here, like the towhees, seem to prefer brushy edges around the ponds. At 6:15am I was the first guest at the preserve and I stayed until 12:30. Bird Viewing Preserve in Henderson, southern Nevada. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:09 12:19 |
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Location:
Bird Viewing Preserve |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: GambelsQuail_D5X8887-Henderson-BVP |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: The quail here, like the towhees, seem to prefer brushy edges around the ponds. At 6:15am I was the first guest at the preserve and I stayed until 12:30. Bird Viewing Preserve in Henderson, southern Nevada. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:09 12:18 |
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Location:
Bird Viewing Preserve |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: GambelsQuail_D5X8875-Henderson-BVP |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: Quail worked throughout the understory and along the paths within the preserve. It was a lovely day at the Gilbert Water Ranch. The weather was mild, and the winds were calm. Gilbert is in the Greater Phoenix area of Arizona. |
Date Taken: 2020:11:11 15:26 |
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Location:
Gilbert Water Ranch |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: GambelsQuail_D5X9959-GilbertWaterRanch |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: Salton Sea in Imperial County, near Sinclair Road. Southern California. |
Date Taken: 2015:10:17 8:11 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D7200, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/80 |
File Name: D720964-GambelsQuail |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: Covey gathered at a 'Guzzler' (a man-made water catch for wildlife). Seen while camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:30 8:46 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/6400 |
File Name: GambelsQuail_D5X1177 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: Near Sinclair Road, Salton Sea NWR. Imperial County, Southern California. |
Date Taken: 2014:11:24 9:47 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/125 |
File Name: D3X2021-GambelsQuail |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
|
Description: Covey gathered at a 'Guzzler' (a man-made water catch for wildlife). Seen while camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:30 8:53 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: GambelsQuail_D5X1272 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: Near the southeastern shore of the Salton Sea in Imperial County, California. |
Date Taken: 2014:07:26 8:26 |
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Location:
Salton Sea |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/320 |
File Name: D3X6427-GambelsQuail |
| © 2014 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging.com |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: Cattle Call Park, Brawley, California. Imperial County. |
Date Taken: 2011:10:12 14:23 |
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Location:
Cattle Call Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X3390-GambelsQuail |
| © 2011 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
|
Description: Covey gathered at a 'Guzzler' (a man-made water catch for wildlife). Seen while camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:30 8:51 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: GambelsQuail_D5X1243 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
|
Description: Covey gathered at a 'Guzzler' (a man-made water catch for wildlife). Seen while camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:30 8:47 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: GambelsQuail_D5X1200 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
|
Description: Covey gathered at a 'Guzzler' (a man-made water catch for wildlife). Seen while camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:30 8:47 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: GambelsQuail_D5X1198 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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