Scaled Quail vs Singing Quail
Callipepla squamata compared with Dactylortyx thoracicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Scaled Quail | Singing Quail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Callipepla squamata | Dactylortyx thoracicus |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Odontophoridae | Odontophoridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 23.2 cm (9.1 in) | 25.1 cm (9.9 in) |
| Weight | 195.5 g (6.90 oz) | 181.75 g (6.41 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on seeds, leaves, and cacti in arid southwestern US scrubland. Takes invertebrates especially during … | Eats seeds and invertebrates in Central American highland forests. Remarkably vocal; scratches leaf litter on … |
| Clutch Size | 3-16 | 5 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Scaled Quail
Male gives a nasal, emphatic pay-COS call; coveys scatter with rapid, chattering clucks. The distinctive, nasal pay-COS call is the species' advertising call; carries across desert grassland.
Singing Quail
Exceptionally melodic, rich whistled song of 4–6 slurred notes; flute-like and rising. Named for song quality; male sings from hidden perch in Mexican pine-oak forest. Alarm chips are short and …
Geographic Range & Migration
Scaled Quail
Resident in the semi-arid grasslands and desert scrub of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Found in arid and semi-arid plains.
Singing Quail
Resident in Mexico from Jalisco and Tamaulipas south to Chiapas and the Yucatán. Found in humid forest and dense brush.
Conservation Status
Scaled Quail
Singing Quail
How to Tell Them Apart
Scaled Quail
Bluish-grey overall with black-edged feathers creating prominent scaly pattern on breast and flanks; white-tipped crest fluffy and pale; back brownish-grey; sexes similar but female slightly duller.
Singing Quail
Rufous-brown above streaked black and buff; male has orange-rufous face and throat contrasting with streaked breast; female has buff-white face with dark streaks. Dense understory cryptic pattern.
About These Birds
Scaled Quail
A medium-sized New World quail (~195 g) of family Odontophoridae, with scaly grey-brown plumage and a whitish cottontop crest. Inhabits semi-arid shrublands, grasslands, and desert scrub from the southwestern United States to central Mexico. Forages in coveys for seeds and invertebrates. Least Concern; well adapted to arid environments, commonly hunted for sport.
Singing Quail
A small New World quail (~180 g) of family Odontophoridae, famous for its loud melodious whistled duets. Inhabits humid highland forests and forest edges from Mexico through Central America. Forages on the forest floor for seeds and invertebrates, often near streams. Least Concern; more often heard than seen due to dense forest undergrowth; males have a distinctive loud song.