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California Quail

Callipepla californica

Bird · family Odontophoridae · order Galliformes

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

California Quail
Photo: Becky Matsubara from El Sobrante, California, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
2 states[3]
Longest recorded life
9.6 years[4]

The California Quail (Callipepla californica) is a bird in the order Galliformes[5]. NatureServe ranks it Secure worldwide, and it is native to California and Nevada[2][3].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the California Quail a global rank of G5, which it labels Secure[2]. The national rank in the United States is N5, also Secure[6]. The IUCN Red List category recorded by NatureServe is Least concern[7]. The bird is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data[1].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)
NatureServe US rank[6] N5 (Secure)
IUCN Red List (via NatureServe)[7] Least concern

Where California Quail lives

NatureServe lists the California Quail as native in California and Nevada[3]. It has been introduced, meaning people brought it there, in Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah and Washington[8]. NatureServe gives all of the introduced states the state rank SNA, which means not applicable[9]. Reports on GBIF come most often from California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Utah, but those counts follow where people watch birds and not how many birds live there[10].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: introduced, state rank SNAWAIdaho: introduced, state rank SNAIDMontana: introduced, state rank SNAMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: introduced, state rank SNAORNevada: native, state rank S5NVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: native, state rank SNRCAUtah: introduced, state rank SNAUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: introduced, state rank SNAAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: not recordedSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: introduced, state rank SNAHITexas: not recordedTXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[9].
Show state ranks (9 states)
StateRankMeaning
ArizonaSNANot Applicable
CaliforniaSNRNot Ranked
HawaiiSNANot Applicable
IdahoSNANot Applicable
MontanaSNANot Applicable
NevadaS5Secure
OregonSNANot Applicable
UtahSNANot Applicable
WashingtonSNANot Applicable

Habitat

NatureServe records woodland, shrubland and chaparral, old fields, cropland and hedgerows, and areas beside rivers and streams as habitat types[11]. The notes describe brushy, grassy and weedy ground in both humid and dry regions, usually close to water[12]. The bird usually nests on the ground in a shallow dip lined with plants, and sometimes in the fork of a tree branch[12].

Habitat types recorded by NatureServe[11]

Size, diet and lifespan

Adults are about 25 cm (10 in) long and weigh about 176 g (6.2 oz)[13][14]. The diet is mostly plants, such as seeds, leaves, acorns and berries, and in spring it also includes buds, spiders, snails and insects[15]. One diet estimate puts it at 50% seeds and 50% other plant material[16]. A typical clutch is 14 eggs and the eggs take about 22 days to hatch[17][18]. The young can move about soon after hatching and both parents tend them[19]. The longest recorded lifespan is 9.6 years[4]. That is a record and not a typical age.

Trait Value
Typical length[13] 25 cm (10 in)
Typical adult weight[14] 176 g (6.2 oz)
Longest recorded lifespan (AnAge)[4] 9.6 years
Litter or clutch size[17] 14
Gestation or incubation[18] 22 days
Female maturity[20] 274 days (about 0.8 years)
Food habits[21] Invertivore, Herbivore, Granivore
Migration[22] non-migrant

Estimated diet composition (EltonTraits 1.0)[16]

  • 50% seeds
  • 50% other plant material

When to look for it

The California Quail is active by day and feeds mainly in the first hours after sunrise and the last hours before sunset[23][24]. NatureServe calls it a non-migrant, though populations can differ[22]. Breeding starts as early as January in the south and as late as mid-May in the north[19]. GBIF records peak in April, May and June, which shows when people look and report and not how many birds there are[25].

January: 67,431 recordsJanFebruary: 66,451 recordsFebMarch: 82,368 recordsMarApril: 151,801 recordsAprMay: 199,045 recordsMayJune: 131,377 recordsJunJuly: 85,833 recordsJulAugust: 79,184 recordsAugSeptember: 86,598 recordsSepOctober: 76,030 recordsOctNovember: 61,761 recordsNovDecember: 68,937 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[25].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January67,431
February66,451
March82,368
April151,801
May199,045
June131,377
July85,833
August79,184
September86,598
October76,030
November61,761
December68,937

Where to see it

National Park Service species lists record California Quail as present in 32 park units[26]. Present means the park has a confirmed record, not that sightings are common.

And 8 more park units.

States with the most GBIF observation records: California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah[10]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the California Quail endangered?
No. NatureServe ranks it G5, which it labels Secure, and it is not listed under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data[2][1].
Where does the California Quail live?
It is native to California and Nevada, and it has been introduced in Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah and Washington[3][8].
What does the California Quail eat?
It eats mostly plants, including seeds, leaves, acorns and berries, plus some insects, spiders and snails in spring[15].
How big is a California Quail?
NatureServe records a typical length of 25 cm (10 in) and a typical weight of 176 g (6.2 oz)[13][14].
How long does a California Quail live?
The longest recorded lifespan is 9.6 years[4]. That is a record and not a typical lifespan.

Facts and sources

  1. California Quail is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for California Quail: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists California Quail as native in 2 US states and territories: California, Nevada. NatureServe Explorer
  4. Maximum recorded lifespan in AnAge: 9.6 years. This is a record, not a typical lifespan. AnAge
  5. California Quail (Callipepla californica) is a bird in the family Odontophoridae, order Galliformes. NatureServe Explorer
  6. NatureServe national rank in the United States: N5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  7. IUCN Red List category as recorded by NatureServe: Least concern. NatureServe Explorer
  8. NatureServe lists California Quail as introduced (not native) in: Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington. NatureServe Explorer
  9. NatureServe state ranks for California Quail (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  10. US states with the most GBIF observation records of California Quail: California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  11. Habitat types NatureServe records for California Quail: Woodland - hardwood, Woodland - mixed, Shrubland/chaparral, Old field, Cropland/hedgerow, Riparian. NatureServe Explorer
  12. NatureServe notes on habitat for California Quail. NatureServe Explorer
  13. Typical length recorded by NatureServe: 25 cm (10 in). NatureServe Explorer
  14. Typical adult weight recorded by NatureServe: 176 g (6.2 oz). NatureServe Explorer
  15. NatureServe notes on food for California Quail. NatureServe Explorer
  16. Estimated diet composition in EltonTraits 1.0: 50% seeds, 50% other plant material. EltonTraits 1.0
  17. Typical litter or clutch size in AnAge: 14. AnAge
  18. Gestation or incubation period in AnAge: 22 days. AnAge
  19. NatureServe notes on reproduction for California Quail. NatureServe Explorer
  20. Age at female sexual maturity in AnAge: 274 days (about 0.8 years). AnAge
  21. Adult food habits recorded by NatureServe: Invertivore, Herbivore, Granivore. NatureServe Explorer
  22. NatureServe migration category for California Quail: non-migrant (populations can differ). NatureServe Explorer
  23. NatureServe notes on phenology for California Quail. NatureServe Explorer
  24. Adult activity patterns recorded by NatureServe: Diurnal. NatureServe Explorer
  25. GBIF observation records of California Quail in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF
  26. NPSpecies park lists recording California Quail as present (list on this page). NPS NPSpecies

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.

Photo: Becky Matsubara from El Sobrante, California, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.