Scaled Quail - Preferred Habitat

Preferred Habitat

Scaled Quail inhabit dry, open valleys, plains, foothills, rocky slopes, draws, gullies, and canyons that have a mixture of bare ground, low herbaceous growth, and scattered brushy cover. Good Scaled Quail habitat is characterized by low-growing grasses with forbs and shrubs. Overall ground cover is between 10 and 50%. Trees and shrubs should be less than 6.6 feet (2 m) tall. Scaled Quail avoid the dense growth associated with streamsides. Transmitter-fitted Scaled Quail had individual home range sizes of 52 and 60 acres (21 and 24 ha).

An absolute requirement by Scaled Quail for a source of open water has not been established; there is some debate in the literature whether there is such a requirement. Scaled Quail have been reported as inhabiting an area 7 or 8 miles (11.2–12.8 km) from the nearest water in Arizona. In New Mexico, it was not unusual to find Scaled Quail 10 to 15 miles (16–24 km) from water. Wallmo observed winter coveys 3 and 7 miles (1.8 and 11.2 km) from water in Big Bend National Park in southwestern Texas.

In Arizona, Scaled Quail summer habitat is seldom within 660 feet (200 m) of water. Scaled Quail were observed drinking at stock tanks from April to June (which was a dry period during the course of the study) every 2 to 3 days. In Oklahoma, Scaled Quail often migrate to farms and ranches in winter and are thus closer to a source of water in winter than in summer. DeGraaf and others reported that in winter, Scaled Quail are usually found within 1.25 miles (2 km) of a source of water.