California Quail in Eastern Idaho? (1 Viewer)

Hello. While exploring my dad's property near Rexburg Idaho, we found a lone California Quail wandering around. He kept his distance from us, and acted just like wild quail from where i was born in Washington. We asked local residents if they owned quail and had any escapees, but nobody nearby that we asked had ever owned quail. We spoke to a farmer a mile away from the property, and he said that he had seen the quail, and also wondered about it. Is there a possibility that the bird could've been from a wild population, or is it more probable that he was a captive bird that escaped?

Thank you for reading and/or responding!

Probably an escape as they're not great wanderers and there's no resident population all that close.

I lived in WA state on the Idaho border most of my life and know that California Quail were a dime a dozen. My sister lived in Idaho Falls and although I never looked for any there, the range map for those quail are real close to Idaho Falls which is just south of Rexburg . So perhaps not a resident of Rexburg but not that far off, so I can see it...

Most Californian Quail I say in New Zealand.


best regards
Dieter

albatross02 said:

Most Californian Quail I say in New Zealand.


best regards
Dieter

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Never been there, but they are pretty common for example in Chile and in British Columbia.

Niels