#Cyrtonyx montezumae

[na-bird-of-the-day]

BOTD: Montezuma Quail

Photo: budgora

"Despite its bold and bizarre pattern, this little quail of the Mexican border regions can be remarkably hard to see. When approached, pairs or coveys of Montezuma Quail may crouch motionless until they are practically stepped upon; then they explode into flight, to whir away across the hillsides. Fall and winter coveys usually have fewer than ten birds, and they often range over a very limited area."

- Audubon Field Guide

#birds #montezuma quail #birds of north america #north american birds #birds of mexico #birds of the us #mearns quail #quail #quails #landfowl #birding #bird watching #birdblr #birblr #bird of the day #Cyrtonyx montezumae

[herpsandbirds]

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Montezuma Quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae), male running throught the desert, family Odontophoridae, order Galliformes, Chiricahua Mountains, AZ, USA

photograph by cr_wildlife

#quail #odontophoridae #cyrtonyx #galliformes #bird #ornithology #animals #nature #north america

[fatchance]

Montezuma quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae), at Ash Canyon. They are not uncommon here, but still rarely seen. As much as I love the clownish faces of the males, I think the females (center photo) are more beautiful still, with a color pattern that makes them almost invisible as they move through the grasses. 

At the Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary, Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory, Cochise County, Arizona.

Etymology note, from the Cornell lab:  “Montezuma quail have long, sickle-shaped claws on each toe that are about half again the length of the foot. It uses these claws for digging up bulbs, tubers, and invertebrates. Montezuma quail’s genus, Cyrtonyx, comes from the Greek words for bent (kurtus) and claw (onux). Pits in the soil more than an inch deep are a sign that these birds are foraging in the area.”

#photographers on tumblr #Montezuma quail #Cyrtonyx montezumae #Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary #Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory #Cochise County #Arizona

[birdstudies]

August 9, 2015 - Montezuma Quail, Mearns's Quail, or Harlequin Quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae)

Requested by: taylorrbranham

These small quails are found in Mexico and north into parts of southern Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. They are omnivores that forage on the ground for seeds, acorns, tubers, and insects. When threatened, they crouch and freeze, then leap into the air suddenly at the last second. They nest in tall grass, lining a shallow scrape with grasses and building a domed top with a side entrance. Parents lead the down-covered chicks to food soon after they hatch.

#montezuma quail #quail #cyrtonyx montezumae #bird #birds #illlustration #art #grassland #woodland #requests

[fine-feathers]

4835 HQ by Chesnimages on Flickr.

#montezuma quail #Cyrtonyx montezumae #galliformes #odontophoridae #bird #birds #texas

[herpsandbirds]

Montezuma Quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae), male, family Odontophoridae, Mexico

photograph by @cr_wildlife

#cyrtonyx #quail #odontophoridae #galliform #bird #ornithology #animals #nature #north america