Fun Montezuma Quail Facts For Kids

The Montezuma Quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae) is a game bird with short tails, rounded wings, and almost no neck, which makes it plump.

Their head is oddly shaped which is narrow and has a crest on the back. Their bills are also thick, short, and heavy.

The Montezuma Quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae) have complex black and white color patterns, especially the males on their faces.

Their underbelly is cinnamon brownish in color and their sides are dark bluish to gray with white dots. Their underparts have a pattern of stripes, mottled or spots in black brown, or tan.

The females are mostly dark brown overall with a hint of a similar pattern on the head and back pattern to the males.

As per the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, this species is known to be secretive and is called the New World Quail of Mexico and in some southern states of the United States.

These North American birds are also called the fool quail due to their behavior, the harlequin quail, especially the males for its vivid pattern, or the Mearns’ quail.

There are four recognized subspecies, out of which one is found in the United States and northern Mexico, the second one is found in central Mexico, the third one is found in Oaxaca in southern Mexico and the fourth one is found in Michoacan, and Guerrero in southwest Mexico.

The Montezuma Quail is the smallest in North America. Their assembly or territorial call sounds like six to nine notes descending in pitch which is far-carrying, whinny, and quavering. This uncommon bird prefers mountainous terrain which is wooded and also has bunched grass and plant species to provide them with food.

These North American birds are mostly found in pine-oakwood woodlands. Here are some interesting facts about the Cyrtonyx montezumae (Montezuma Quail). Afterward, do check out other articles on the Savannah Sparrow and Sparrowhawk.

Montezuma Quail Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Montezuma Quail?

The Montezuma Quail is a type of bird found in the southern regions of North America, mostly Mexico and the southern United States. It is a shy, secretive bird that is also called the crazy quail, black quail, or painted quail. The habitat of these nesting birds can be found across regions of North America.

What class of animal does a Montezuma Quail belong to?

The Montezuma Quail belongs to the class of Aves or birds. The breeding season sees the Montezuma Quail hatching eggs like most birds and it prefers to build its nest in open pine and oakwood woodlands.

The males are known for their varied patterns of plumage and a crest on the back. The females are mostly evenly colored in dark brown tones. The habitat of these birds can be found in open woods, most frequently of oakwood and pine with juniper and tall grass across North America.

How many Montezuma Quails are there in the world?

The exact number of Montezuma Quails in the wildlife is not available. However, it is a popular bird and is found in many parts of the southern United States and all over Mexico. It has four known subspecies spread across a range of habitat regions in North America.

Where does a Montezuma Quail live?

The Montezuma Quails are originally from Mexico near the Sierra Madre mountains. From there, populations of these breeding birds are found in the southwestern region of the United States.

The states in the USA which have a population of these birds are New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas. Populations of these nesting birds are mostly found at an elevation of 3280.8 ft (1000 m) and above in eastern and southeastern Arizona, up to western and southwestern New Mexico. Populations of these breeding birds are found in Texas too.

In Mexico, they are found in Oaxaca in the north to interior Mexico. The habitat of these uncommon birds is not found in the desert region of Rio Balsas Valley.

What is a Montezuma Quail habitat?

The habitat of the Montezuma Quail is open oak woods, most frequently of oakwood and pine with juniper and tall grasses. These uncommon birds prefer to stay on the slopes and canyons of the hilly regions.

These nesting birds can be observed in open grassy hills with scattered trees, oak woodlands, tall grasses, and open coniferous forests at high altitudes.

Who do Montezuma Quails live with?

They are found in small coves living in oak woodlands. Birds of this species do not form large flocks. The average conveyor may have eight birds or just a family with young ones. You may find wildlife flocks bigger than 25 birds too. These species are not migratory birds.  

How long does a Montezuma Quail live?

The lifespan of the Montezuma Quail is a maximum of seven years in captivity. In the wild, this species may live less than that.

How do they reproduce?

The breeding season for Montezuma birds is from late June to August. New hatchlings are found in late September.

Quails build their nest on the ground in places where they are adequately protected. The nests are covered and woven with grass. Both male and female quails will participate in the incubation and feeding of the young ones.

The size of the clutch ranges between 2-15 eggs in the nest and reproductive success is related to precipitation during the summer months. The rainfall during summer increases the availability of food, and native perennial bunchgrasses will provide sufficient protection for the nestlings. The nestlings are precocial and can forage for food around the nest soon.

They are born fully feathered and can make a quick sprint to protect themselves. The parents will teach them to differentiate between various food sources and feed them bulbs and insects.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of these birds is Least Concern. However, due to the fragmentation of their natural habitat and human encroachment, the numbers are dwindling for this bird. Also, overgrazing by livestock has resulted in less food for them which is a cause of concern for their survival.

Montezuma Quail Fun Facts

What do Montezuma Quails look like?

The Montezuma Quail is a game bird with short tails, rounded wings, and almost no neck, which makes it plump. Its head is oddly shaped which is narrow and has a crest on the back.

Its bill is also thick, short, and heavy. These birds have complex black and white color patterns, especially the males, on their faces. Their underbelly is cinnamon brownish in color and their sides are dark bluish to gray with white dots.

Their underparts have a pattern of stripes, mottled, or spots in black, brown, or tan. The females are mostly dark brown overall with a hint of a similar pattern on the head and back pattern to the males.

How cute are they?

The Montezuma Quails are strange-looking birds with confusing patterns on their back especially for the males which has given them the name harlequin quails too. These species are shy, secretive birds that do not fly far but can be difficult to catch by hand.

How do they communicate?

They have four main vocalizations that are recognizable to them. This species gives out a soft cry from their coveys to deter the predators.

There is an assembly call that is made by males and females to bring them together in case they are scattered. Males have a special courtship call to attract females during the breeding season, which is high-pitched and sounds like a buzz shrill.

The clucking noise made by them while feeding is the fourth one. They use a lot of vocal communication to protect and warn fellow members as well as to communicate with them too.

How big is a Montezuma Quail?

The Montezuma Quail is larger than an Inca dove and slightly smaller than the Scaled quail or Gambel’s quail. It is the shortest quail in North America. They are also plumper and more short-tailed than other quails. Their size ranges between 7.9-9.1 in (20.1-23.1 cm).

How fast can a Montezuma Quail fly?

The Montezuma Quail flying birds are sedentary birds that forage in the same areas within a 50 m diameter range. They also do not migrate seasonally.

They crouch and stay motionless in the presence of humans and would let them come almost a meter close before flying off with a loud popping wing noise. They may have an average flying speed of 30-40 mph (48.3-64.4 kph).

How much does a Montezuma Quail weigh?

The history of Montezuma Quail tells us that it used to weigh more. The Montezuma Quail range for weight is between 6.1-6.9 oz (172.9-195.6 g). They are shorter and plumper than other quails.

What are the male and female names of the species?

The male and females do not have a specific name. They are known as male Montezuma Quail and female Montezuma Quail. Their groups are called covey, flock, or bevy.

What would you call a baby Montezuma Quail?

The baby Montezuma Quails are called nestlings or juveniles.

What do they eat?

Quail species form coveys to forage on the ground. Quail species will stay together in a roost or a slope to forage for food. They eat bulbs from wood sorrel and flat sedges.

They use their strong short and heavy bill and claws to dig into soft, moist soil to eat the roots and tubers. They consume mast from productive crops in the farmlands.

They also eat insects and their pupas which are abundant during the summers and they eat them more too. They also eat seeds, grasses, and forbs. They do not require to drink water often to maintain water balance in the body.

Are they dangerous?

The black and white face quails are not at all dangerous or harmful to humans. They are quiet and shy birds who prefer to stay in the same place all through their lives. They are game birds in some parts of the United States.

However, their population is stable and increasing; therefore, there isn't much concern. However, they are facing defragmentation of their habitat. The rainfall during summer increases the availability of food and native perennial bunchgrasses will provide sufficient protection for the nestlings.

Would they make a good pet?

This quail would make a colorful addition to your aviary if you can catch them. They are quiet and shy birds that do not require much area to forage.

Did you know...

These quails have long sickle-shaped claws that help them to dig for tubers and roots.

Their nests are most uniquely built like a grass dome with a single entrance.

They eat oxalis and other bulbs along with sedge tubers. These are the main food items for the Montezuma Quail.

Why are Montezuma Quails also called Mearns' Quail?

The Montezuma Quail is also called Mearns' Quail in honor of the American Naturalist Edgar Alexander Mearns.

How many babies would a Montezuma Quail have?

The Montezuma Quail has a clutch size range of 2-15 eggs. The incubation period is for 25 days and this is taken care of by both parents.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our palm cockatoo fun facts and eastern meadowlark interesting facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Montezuma Quail coloring pages.