The thing about California Quail, the likes of which can be seen in a recent photo from Strybing Arboretum (aka San Francisco Botanical Garden) in Golden Gate Park, is that they like to hang out with each other during the cold months. Hence the term “winter covey.” But as you get closer to springtime, they like to pair off into mating couples.
This pair kept nearby another male-female couple. Consider it a double date. Click to expand:
Next come the kids.
The San Francisco Bay Guardian’s question from last year: “Where are all the chicks?” The writer was referring to California Quail in the Presidio of San Francisco. As of 2006, there were female quail there but things took a turn for the worse last year.
Quail sometimes travel between the Presidio and Golden Gate Park – that’s where these two were sighted yesterday. Sometimes, you can see a lot of California’s official state bird at Strybing Arboretum and sometimes you can’t. Thesse critters can fly away from danger, but they generally don’t like being out in the open. The kind of environment that they prefer is not present in S.F. as much as before.
Godspeed, little quail.
