Gambel's Quail is the quail of the Sonoran Desert, a desert-adapted species that extracts enough water from succulent desert plants and seeds to survive without drinking in many conditions. The male has a bold black face and belly patch framed by rufous flanks. Families parade in lines through desert washes in the morning — a quintessential image of desert wildlife.
Best time to see a Gambel's Quail
The best time to see a Gambel's Quail is February–June, when about 60% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 17,506 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
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Recent Gambel's Quail sightings near you
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