Gambel's Quail Calls

[Advocat]

My young Gambel's Quail -- Coco -- is about 7 weeks old and the cage has been moved so it sits near my computer desk. Whenever I walk away to where Coco can't see me, especially if I walk out of the room, Coco gives the "ka-KAA-ka" call.

As far as I know, only the males make this call. I've seen them do it, and YouTube has several short vids of a male making this call.

For anyone who has both sexes, do the females also make this same call or is it just the male? If it is just the males, then chances are good Coco is male. If I can't tell by the call, then I'll have to wait roughly another 5 or 6 months until adult plumage comes in to know what sex my bird is

 

[Ntsees]

For valley's, both males and females can make the call. Because Gambels are closely related to valley's, I would suspect the hens could also make the call. And you should be able to tell male and female before 5 months.

 

[Advocat]

Thank you!

How could I tell the sex before 5-6 months old? My understanding is they don't get their adult plumage in until about then, and I don't know what else I could look for.

Coco does have a very dull brownish patch on the top of the head -- the crest feathers are either dark brown or black at this point, and the rest of the head and body are a lighter brownish-gray with light and dark patterns on that (typical). Any clues here?

 

[dc3085]

Female's heads are grey, males heads are brown/orange.

 

[Advocat]

Thanks much for the info -- I want to learn as much as I can, but finding I have some questions Google can't bring answers to.

 

[Ntsees]

If its male, you see black feathers starting to grow on the head. Show us a picture of your bird if you have one.

 

[Advocat]

Here are 2 pix that I took this morning. The color on the head is more dull than the pictures show, it is a dull (muted) rust. There are some black feathers just starting to come in at the front of the head in front of the topknot, and some little white feathers scattered too in that area. Topknot is sort of a dark chocolate color (not black).

Quail is 7 weeks old:

 

[Ntsees]

...The color on the head is more dull than the pictures show, it is a dull (muted) rust. There are some black feathers just starting to come in at the front of the head in front of the topknot, and some little white feathers scattered too in that area...

The dull rust head feathers, the black feathers, and the little white feathers in front of the head area are characteristics of a male bird. As it gets older, there will be more and more of those feathers. Females never develop those head colors and remain brown. The brown top knot feathers will molt out soon and will be replaced by the black adult plume feathers. There you go. It's a male. Didn't I say you would not have to wait for 5-6 months

? At 7 weeks, you can tell it's a male.

 

[Advocat]

Yep, you said I didn't need to wait 5-6 months to tell and you were right! Thank you very much!

So I guess I can forget about those eggs I've been dreaming of, lol! Either way, I swear this is the sweetest bird I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. I have him out of his cage every morning and evening for a little while when the dog and cat don't have the run of the house, and this bird follows me from room to room or rides on my shoulder, stands on my hands when I'm typing on the computer (and tries to "type" too), comes when called or whistled for, falls asleep on the desk leaning against my arm, and so on.

I trust the rusty head color also means it's a Gambel's and not a California/Valley Quail, yes?

 

[Ntsees]

...I trust the rusty head color also means it's a Gambel's and not a California/Valley Quail, yes?

That I do not know, at least not yet. Gambels and Valley chicks look alike and I have not yet found a way to distinguish them. You'll have to wait a little longer to get an answer on that one. When it's head feathers develop some more (more black that is), show us pictures again.