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Callipepla squamata

(Vigors, 1830)

Scaled Quail

G5Secure Found in 10 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.102396
Element CodeABNLC23010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderGalliformes
FamilyOdontophoridae
GenusCallipepla
Other Common Names
Codorniz Escamosa (ES) Colin écaillé (FR)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Taxonomic Comments
C. squamata and C. gambellii occasionally hybridize (AOU 1983). Study of genus Callipepla shows relationships of C. douglasii and C. squamata to C. californica and C. gambelii to be unclear (Zink and Blackwell 1998). Formerly in family Phasianidae; placed in family Odontophoridae by AOU (1997).
Conservation Status
Review Date1996-11-25
Change Date1996-11-25
Range Extent Comments
RESIDENT: south-central Arizona, northern New Mexico, east-central Colorado, and southwestern Kansas south through western Oklahoma, western Texas, and interior Mexico to northeastern Jalisco, Guanajuato, Queretaro, Hidalgo and western Tamaulipas. Introduced and established in central Washington and eastern Nevada (AOU 1983, Schemnitz 1994).
Threat Impact Comments
Threatened by habitat loss and degradation, principally overgrazing by cattle.

HABITAT: Range improvement designed to promote grasses by brush control removes important food sources (e.g., mesquite [Prosopis spp.], snakeweed [Xanthocephalum sarothrae], broomweed [X. dracunculoides]; Ault and Stormer 1983, Davis et al. 1975, Leif and Smith 1993). An increase in perennial grass cover in the Chihuahuan Desert region of New Mexico between 1961 and 1992 corresponds to a decline in the scaled quail population (Saiwana et al. 1998). Stands of Lehmann's lovegrass (Eragrostis lehmanniana), an exotic species planted extensively in Arizona and dominant at mid- to high elevations, are avoided (Medina 1988). In Oklahoma, a decline in population size corresponds to the establishment of Conservation Reserve Program grasslands dominated by weeping lovegrass (Eragrostis curvulata; Schemnitz 1993).

GRAZING: Overgrazing reduces residual grass cover, which is important to overwinter survival (Brown 1978).

PESTICIDES: Wheat seeds coated with the antifungal chemical Ceresan, may be lethal (Rollins 1981).

PREDATION: The only confirmed predator is the coyote (Canis latrans); suspected predators include hawks, roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus), black-billed magpie (Pica pica), snakes, and skunks (Schemnitz 1994).

HUNTING: Recreational hunting is not considered a threat (Campbell et al. 1973, Schemnitz 1994); however, spent lead shot is eaten and may pose a threat (Best et al. 1992, Campbell 1950).

PARASITISM: Known internal parasites include three helminths (Oxyspirura petrowi, Aulonocephalus lindquisti, and Rhabdometra odiosa), a tapeworm (Raillietina sp.) and two nematodes (Physaloptera sp. and Subularia strongylina; Schemnitz 1994).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Breeding and non-breeding habitats are similar (Schemnitz 1994). In general, preferred habitat is arid-semiarid, mixed shrub-grassland. Common shrubs of preferred habitat include acacia (ACACIA spp.), sand sagebrush (ARTEMISIA FILIFOLIA), four-winged saltbush (ATRIPLEX CANESCENS), cacti (OPUNTIA spp.), honey mesquite (PROSOPIS GLANDULOSA), sumacs (RHUS AROMATICA, R. MICROPHYLLA, R. TRILOBATA), yucca (YUCCA spp.), and snakeweed (XANTHOCEPHALUM SAROTHRAE). In New Mexico, sightings are highest in mixed shrub-grassland, intermediate in shrub-dominated habitats, and lowest in grasslands (Saiwana et al. 1998). Most (54 percent) sightings in Oklahoma are associated with shrubs, 29 percent with man-made cover, and 16 percent in grassland or cropland (Schemnitz 1961). In southern Arizona, 89 percent of sightings occur in mesquite grassland, mixed shrubland, and shrub-dominated washes (Medina 1988).

In areas of sympatry, northern bobwhite (COLINUS VIRGINIANUS) and scaled quail tend to select different habitats. In Oklahoma, northern bobwhite were most frequently observed in riparian habitats, whereas scaled quail were observed in upland habitats (Schemnitz 1964). During the breeding season in Texas, scaled quail selected denser, shorter shrub habitat than northern bobwhite (Reid et al. 1979, Reid et al. 1993). Unlike northern bobwhite, which selects dense herbaceous cover, scaled quail in south Texas prefers sparsely vegetated areas with a shrub overstory with a relatively high percentage of bare ground (Wilson and Crawford 1987). Roosts on the ground beneath shrub cover (Schemnitz 1994).

Nests on the ground in a depression lined with dry grasses (Terres 1991). In Oklahoma, 66 percent of 50 nests were found amid dead Russian-thistle (SALSOLA PESTIFER), machinery and junk, mixed forbs, and soapweed (YUCCA GLAUCA; Schemnitz 1961). In New Mexico, 66 percent of 14 nests were located in dead Russian-thistle, mixed forbs, soapweed, johnson grass (SORGHUM HALEPENSE) and overhanging rocks (Russell 1932, cited in Schemnitz 1961). A single nest in Colorado was found amid Russian-thistle (Long 1941, cited in Schemnitz 1961).

Ecology

Population size fluctuates dramatically, most likely in response to variations in reproductive success (Schemnitz 1994). Spring-summer rainfall has been implicated in reproductive variance in New Mexico and west Texas, with lower rainfall resulting in reduced breeding success (Campbell 1968, Campbell et al. 1973, Wallmo and Uzzell 1958). In east Texas, variations in abundance correlated with winter rainfall (Giuliano and Lutz 1993). New Mexico population density estimates ranged from 1 per 3.3-50 hectares on late-seral habitat to 1 per 4-20 hectares on mid-seral habitat over a two-year period (Saiwana et al. 1998); 1 per 8.8-11.7 hectares on two adjacent areas over an eight-year period (Campbell et al. 1973). In south Texas, Colorado, and Oklahoma, population densities have been estimated to be 1 per 0.4 hectare, 1 per 10.9-25.9 hectares, and 1 per 5.3 hectares, respectively (Schemnitz 1994).

Generally sedentary, one individual moved 96 kilometers (Campbell and Harris 1965). Relatively short-lived; complete turnover in quail populations occurs about every six years. In New Mexico, first-year mortality averages 86 percent, annual adult mortality averages 70 percent, and annual mortality for the entire population averages 83 percent. The mortality rate for females is higher than for males (Campbell et al. 1973). Adults studied in New Mexico and Oklahoma exhibited male-biased sex ratios, whereas the sex ratio of first-year birds varied from parity in Oklahoma to female-biased in New Mexico (Campbell et al. 1973, Schemnitz 1961). The biased sex ratio of first-year birds in New Mexico may be due to the difficulty in positively determining sex of young birds (Campbell et al. 1973). Presumably sexually mature in first year after hatching.

Winter coveys average 31.2 birds in Oklahoma, 22.3-41.5 birds in Texas, and 33.4 birds in Colorado (Schemnitz 1994). Coveys begin forming in August and break up the following spring (March-April; Schemnitz 1961).

Reproduction

Pair formation typically begins in mid-March in Oklahoma, but can commence as early as mid-February in Arizona (Schemnitz 1994). The nesting season begins in mid-April in Arizona and New Mexico and extends through late September throughout the range (Schemnitz 1961). Second broods are uncommon, but renesting is not. Clutch size averages 12.7 eggs (range = 9-22). Incubation takes 22-23 days and is conducted principally by the female (Schemnitz 1994). Hatching success can be 90 percent, but nest success varies from 14-22 percent (Schemnitz 1961). In New Mexico, 84 percent of eggs hatch between May and July (Campbell et al. 1973).
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceousDesert
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
TexasS4BYes
NevadaSNANo
New MexicoS3Yes
OklahomaS3Yes
Navajo NationS3Yes
ColoradoS4Yes
KansasS2Yes
ArizonaS3Yes
UtahSNANo
Roadless Areas (10)
Arizona (5)
AreaForestAcres
ChiricahuaCoronado National Forest76,876
GaliuroCoronado National Forest28,333
Lower San FranciscoApache-Sitgreaves National Forests59,310
Middle Dragoon RoadlessCoronado National Forest10,543
WhetstoneCoronado National Forest20,728
New Mexico (5)
AreaForestAcres
Carrizo MountainLincoln National Forest17,280
Lower San FranciscoGila National Forest26,460
South Guadalupe MountainsLincoln National Forest20,930
Tucson MountainLincoln National Forest16,905
West Face Sacramento MountainsLincoln National Forest41,176
References (54)
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