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How to ID a Quail

Quails are easy to identify because they are often running along the ground, looking for cover. If they do fly up to perch, they choose branches on low shrubs or young trees, within grasp of human birdwatchers. However, they are quick to spot danger and will run off before you can catch them. Quail are plump, round birds, and most quail breeds have identifying plumes of feathers that stick out from the tops of their heads.

Instructions

- 1
  Study the bird's flight pattern. Quail prefer to spend much of their time on the ground or perched on low shrubs. While they do know how to fly, they fly low and spend most of the time running.
- 2
  Look for the quail's round, plump body. Their necks are thin and often long, tapering up from a tennis-ball shaped body.
- 3
  Notice any plumed feathers in the forehead area. Most quail breeds have distinct feathers that stick out from their foreheads as if they were wearing a feather in their cap.
- 4
  Compare the bird's color to its surroundings. Because quail are brush and desert birds, they blend with the sand and desert shrubs. Quail are often mixtures of brown and white.

Animals & Science