It is a bluish gray bird found in the arid regions of the Southwestern United States to Central Mexico.
Widespread and common throughout its range, the scaled quail is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
In Oklahoma, scaled quail occur in sand sagebrush (Artemisia filifolia)-grassland, pinyon-juniper (Pinus spp.-Juniperus spp.
[10] Scaled Quail in Oklahoma inhabit rough or rolling land, especially where sagebrush (Artemisia spp.
[11] In Colorado, scaled quail occupy sand sagebrush and/or yucca stands on sandy soils.
Scaled Quail made little or no use of sparse cholla-grassland, riparian areas, reseeded grasslands, or shortgrass prairie disclimax.
Sutton [11] stated, however, that scaled quail in Oklahoma are probably single-brooded, but have hatched broods as late as September 6.
[17] 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.
[6][10] Scaled quail have been reported as inhabiting an area 7 or 8 miles (11 or 13 kilometres) from the nearest water in Arizona.
[10] Wallmo [16] observed winter coveys 3 and 7 miles (4.8 and 11.3 kilometres) from water in Big Bend National Park in southwestern Texas.
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.
[10] DeGraaf and others [9] reported that in winter, scaled quail are usually found within 1.25 miles (2.01 km) of a source of water.
In areas where scaled quail occur without cholla, woody species such as wolfberry (Lycium spp.)
[19] In Oklahoma pinyon-juniper habitats, scaled quail use the shade of tree cholla (Cylindropuntia imbricata) and human-made structures.
[14] In Oklahoma, winter home ranges always contained skunkbush sumac, tree cholla, or human-made structures providing overhead cover.
[10] Scaled quail nests are constructed under tufts of grasses, and are sheltered by sagebrush (Artemisia spp.
[11] In Oklahoma, 66% of nests were in one of four situations: (1) dead Russian-thistle, (2) machinery and junk, (3) mixed forbs, and (4) soapweed yucca.
[22] Other seeds include those of elbowbush (Forestiera angustifolia), catclaw acacia, mesquite, hackberry (Celtis spp.
[10] Winter foods of the scaled quail in Oklahoma include Russian-thistle and sunflower (Helianthus spp.)
[11] In northwestern Texas, selection of foods by scaled quail was dependent on foraging techniques, availability, and seed size.
[24] In southwestern Texas, chestnut-bellied scaled quail consumed woody plant seeds and green vegetation.
), plains bristlegrass (Setaria macrostachya) seeds, and white ratany (Krameria grayi) were consumed in a less pronounced seasonal pattern.
[22] Another study reported substantial amounts of prairie sunflower seeds (Helianthus petiolaris) and pigweed (Amaranthus spp.)
Most scaled quail kills are made by avian predators including northern harrier (Circus cyaneus), red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), American kestrel (Falco sparverius), prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus), and great horned owl (Bubo virginianus).
[14] In New Mexico, predators on scaled quail include hawks, owls, coyote (Canis latrans), and snakes.
[18] In Colorado, potential predators of scaled quail include coyote, gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), red fox (Vulpes vulpes), kit fox (V. velox), bobcat (Lynx rufus), northern harrier, rough-legged hawk (Buteo lagopus), prairie falcon, peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), American kestrel, golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), and bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus).