Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Archosauromorpha
Cladus: Crurotarsi
Divisio: Archosauria
Cladus: Avemetatarsalia
Cladus: Ornithodira
Subtaxon: Dinosauromorpha
Cladus: Dinosauriformes
Cladus: Dracohors
Cladus: Dinosauria
Ordo: Saurischia
Cladus: Eusaurischia
Subordo: Theropoda
Cladus: Neotheropoda
Cladus: Averostra
Cladus: Tetanurae
Cladus: Avetheropoda
Cladus: Coelurosauria
Cladus: Tyrannoraptora
Cladus: Maniraptoromorpha
Cladus: Maniraptoriformes
Cladus: Maniraptora
Cladus: Pennaraptora
Cladus: Paraves
Cladus: Eumaniraptora
Cladus: Avialae
Infraclassis: Aves
Cladus: Euavialae
Cladus: Avebrevicauda
Cladus: Pygostylia
Cladus: Ornithothoraces
Cladus: Ornithuromorpha
Cladus: Carinatae
Parvclassis: Neornithes
Cohors: Neognathae
Cladus: Pangalloanserae
Cladus: Galloanseres
Ordo: Galliformes
Familia: Odontophoridae
Genus: Callipepla
Species: Callipepla douglasii
Name
Callipepla douglasii (Vigors, 1829)
Synonyms:
Callipepla elegans
Vernacular names
svenska: Prakttofsvaktel
The elegant quail (Callipepla douglasii) is a species of New World quail endemic to Pacific-slope thorn forest of north-western Mexico, from southern Sonora to Nayarit. These are common, mainly ground-dwelling birds, and the IUCN has rated them as being a "species of least concern".
Description
The elegant quail grows to a length of about 25 cm (10 in).[2] The male has a distinctive long, straight, golden-buff crest (the female's crest is grey). In other ways the sexes are similar in appearance, being mainly grey with spotting and streaking in black, brown and white, and in the case of the male, in reddish-brown as well. The beak is black, the irises are brown and the legs dark grey to black. This bird can be distinguished from the otherwise similar scaled quail (C. squamata), California quail (C. californica), and Gambel's quail (C. gambelii) by the colour of the male's crest and by the paler spotting on the flanks.[3]
Vocalisations include a "chip-chip" call used by members of a covey to help them remain in contact as they feed on the ground by day, and a "cu-cow" call given on assembly at the roosting site in the evening, and again in the morning before setting off to forage.[3]
Distribution and habitat
Elegant quails are found only in Mexico, on the Pacific slopes of the Sierra Madre Occidental at altitudes of up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft).[2] Their range extends from Sonora and southwestern Chihuahua to northern Jalisco and they are generally found in thorny scrub and deciduous forest,[3] on open ground and cultivated fields. When disturbed they either freeze or run through the undergrowth, taking to the wing only with reluctance.[4]
Status
The elegant quail has a wide range with an area of occupation estimated at 118,000 km2 (45,560 sq mi). It is a common bird and its population is thought to be rising as degradation of the forest creates the open areas it likes. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".[1]
References
BirdLife International (2018). "Callipepla douglasii". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22679597A131906230. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22679597A131906230.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
Howell, Steve N.G.; Webb, Sophie (1995). A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America. OUP Oxford. p. 233. ISBN 978-0-19-854012-0.
"Callipepla douglasii: Identification". Neotropical Birds. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
Payne, Harry Thom (1913). Game Birds and Game Fishes of the Pacific Coast. Library of Alexandria. ISBN 978-1-4655-1207-9.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/"
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License
