Scaled quail (Callipepla squamata), also known as blue quail or cotton-tops, can be found in the scrublands of New Mexico. While they’re often prey for many predators, the ones we spotted outside our farmhouse window seemed relaxed as they foraged for food. These quails are typically more active from mid-morning to mid-afternoon, which is when we observed them — well camouflaged in the winter grasses and debris. At night they roost together in circles — a covey, facing outward to help reduce their vulnerability to predators.

We plan to build a coop and provide birdseeds to lure them in, hoping they’ll use it as their home, especially in the winter. To encourage them to stay, we’ll also provide nesting boxes, water, and natural props. The farm has plenty of natural cover for quails, including sandsage, cholla cactus, and pinyon pines, all of which offer protection from overhead raptors. Additionally, we have scattered piles of wood debris that they’re likely to use as shelter.

We’re also going to focus on a variety of plants that appeal to the quails, such as bristlegrass, mesquite, sandsage, and ragweed. Their primary winter food source is the abundant snakeweed. While we plan to remove many of the mesquite trees due to a host of negative effects that they pose, we’ll leave a few strategically placed as a source of food for these birds.

To further support the scaled quails, we’ll add more grama grass to provide cover for broods and a reliable source of insects for them to forage. We’ll also introduce broom snakeweed, which will serve as an emergency food source during the winter months. To create a safe haven for the quails, we’ll transplant a variety of cover plants and relocate prickly pear cactus to provide a source of water through their fruits. This will help attract even more of these guys to our land, offering them a secure and natural environment.

Featured photo: Greg Schechter. Cholla cactus provides cover and shade as well as a vantage point.