If you see a nest in the tall grass in a field or fence row you might wonder what it is. Does it have a roof, like a canopy over a bed? If so it might be a quail nest. Bobwhite quail live in the midwestern United States. They mainly live in Nevada, Colorado, Northern Arizona, California and a little of Wyoming. The bobwhite quail is about 24 centimeters (12 inches) long. The bobwhite has dark brown and a little bit of blue feathers. It has a white throat and tan bars in the upper parts of its body. Bobwhites take dust baths to get rid of parasites. Then they stroke their feathers to get the dust off their bodies.

In spring coveys break up and males find females. Then they decide where their nest is going to be. Then the males draw a circle and they start to build their nest. When the nest is finished the egg laying begins. The females lay about 16 eggs. The eggs are dirty white. It takes about 15 days for the eggs to be laid. Babies hatch about 3 weeks after their mom lays the eggs. The babies grow fast. They can fly short distances a little after birth. To help the babies learn what they can and can't eat and how to eat, the mom brings back a piece of food in her mouth. Then she will make a weird noise to get the babies' attention. Then the mom will drop the food and pick it up again. By doing this the babies learn how to eat.

Quails eat seeds, berries and insects. Quails travel in groups called coveys. Coveys can have as few as 10 quails or as many as 100 quails. If an enemy comes near a covey the quails will fly and squawk in every direction, then the enemy will go away.

I got my information from, GUIDE TO WESTERN WILDLIFE By Buddy Mays and ALBUM OF BIRDS By Tom Mcgowen.

If you see a bird that looks like a bowling ball, it may be a quail. Does it sleep with other quail in a circle together with its tail facing in? Can you see a white stripe over its eyes? If so, it is a quail. If there is an enemy near these birds will warn the others and then fly away. They live in brushlands, open woodlands, farms, and dry grasslands. The colors of the quail are brown, black, and white. The male has a white stripe over the eyes and a white throat. It is 12in (30cm) long. The quail has strong legs with four toes. It scratches the ground for food. Their stout bills are good for pecking at seeds. The quail eats seeds, grains, wild fruit, leaves, and insects. The quail eats a couple of hours after sunrise and a couple more hours before sunset.

I got my information from WILDLIFE OF THE WORLD published by Marshall Cavendish.