[EBB Sightings] Help with Quail id, please -- could it be Gambel's?

I have no opinion on the species of the mystery quail. There has, however, been a covey of quail at Arrowhead Marsh for a few months now. I've seen them twice on the lawn up at the end of the viewing platform/ restrooms building furthest from the marsh. I'm afraid I just thought "Quail, that's nice!" without paying a lot of attention. It is indeed an odd location, but probably doesn't get many predators.

-----Original Message-----
>From: Joseph Morlan 
>Sent: May 3, 2009 10:33 PM
>To: Robert Clark 
>Cc: East Bay Birds Sightings , Lisa and Robb 
>Subject: Re: [EBB Sightings] Help with Quail id,	please -- could it be  Gambel's?
>All,
>I cannot make this into an odd California Quail.  I think it is mostly
>Gambel's as evidenced by the contrasting red crown and flank.  The forehead
>on the male suggests some California Quail genes, but otherwise it looks
>much better for Gambel's.
>Gambel's Quail or hybrids at this locality would have to be assumed to be
>released from breeding stock and not naturally occurring.  Neither species
>is migratory but both are widely introduced or stocked for hunting
>purposes.  
>On Sun, 3 May 2009 22:40:45 -0600, Robert Clark  wrote:
>>Thanks for this Bob.  I really like the systematic approach you are
>>suggesting here, so I guess I do want to try it at home!   And of
>>course reading it made me go back to the photo and go through your
>>list.  I can't disagree with any of your analysis.
>>
>>It was interesting to see how my perceptions and evaluation changed
>>once you pointed out certain things.  For example I was seeing the
>>articulated neck feathers as tilting towards California Quail - but
>>after hearing your idea that there is no black and white flecking, and
>>that there is no black border at the back edge of the white stripe, I
>>do see what you mean.  That neck really isn't very California
>>Quailish.
>>
>>Now as for the boogie legs - I'm going to wait for the video ...
>>
>>Robert
>>
>>On Sun, May 3, 2009 at 10:01 PM, Bob Power  wrote:
>>>
>>> Robert, when I see an interesting bird photo, I try to start at the top and work my way down. Here's what I see. Other results may differ, you may or may not want to try this at home (although, there aren't a lot of other options):
>>>
>>> Top-knot: Odd/molted/hacked off in a knife-fight. No opinion as to species.
>>> Crown: Deep cinnamon-orange. Nod to Gambel's.
>>> Supercilium and upper black border: No opinion to species.
>>> Forecrown: whitish w/a chunk of something. May be another remnant of the knife-fight. Nod to California Quail.
>>> Eye and chin: No opinion as to species.
>>> Post-ocular vertical stripe: white and tapering narrowly at bottom and no dark border on the neck side of the stripe: Nod to Gambel's.
>>> Neck: Gray with articulated feathers, but essentially all gray. No black and white flecking. Nod to Gambel's.
>>> Light gray chest.... toss-up.
>>> Upper belly: unmarked, no scales. Gambel's.
>>> Middle-lower belly: black patch: Gambel's.
>>> Streaks on flanks look intermediate to both species. Color of flanks looks intermediate to both species.
>>> Legs look like they want to boogie.
>>>
>>> Bob Power
>>> Oakland, CA
>>>
>>>> From: Robert Clark 
>>>> Subject: Re: [EBB Sightings] Help with Quail id, please -- could it be ?Gambel's?
>>>> To: "Lisa and Robb" 
>>>> Cc: "East Bay Birds Sightings" 
>>>> Date: Sunday, May 3, 2009, 8:39 PM
>>>> ?Interesting pictures.
>>>>
>>>> I should start by pointing out that I am not a quail
>>>> expert, and I'm
>>>> just reasoning about what I am seeing and reading my
>>>> Sibley's, but
>>>> given that ...
>>>>
>>>> I am thinking that despite this seeming atypical it is
>>>> probably a
>>>> California Quail. ?I notice that it seems to have a light
>>>> forhead, and
>>>> that the belly looks scaled rather than unmarked. ?The
>>>> patch is
>>>> problematic, yes, but it seems to be at the top of the
>>>> belly rather
>>>> than farther down as is shown for Gamel's. ?I'm
>>>> really not sure about
>>>> this - but could this be a brood-patch?
>>>>
>>>> Another minor point - the back of the neck seems to have
>>>> white
>>>> feather-tips as is shown for California Quail.
>>>>
>>>> So I would guess "weird looking California
>>>> Quail".
>>>>
>>>> What do other people think?
>>>>
>>>> Good birding!
>>>>
>>>> Robert
>>>>
>>>> On Sun, May 3, 2009 at 9:12 PM, Lisa and Robb
>>>>  wrote:
>>>> > Robb and I went out cycling at Arrowhead Marsh this
>>>> afternoon. ?In addition to three very feisty and vocal
>>>> California Clapper Rails, and many of the Usual Suspects, we
>>>> saw a covey of quail.
>>>> >
>>>> > Now, that would be weird enough, considering how
>>>> urbanized this location is.
>>>> >
>>>> > But when I got home, and uploaded the photos and
>>>> compared them to my books, I'm left with a lot of doubt
>>>> about the identification of this bird. ?(This, sadly, is
>>>> not unusual for me.)
>>>> >
>>>> > I've posted photos of the male and one of the
>>>> females, as well as a single egg that was laying on the
>>>> ground on my blog (address below). ?What I'm seeing
>>>> that confuses me is
>>>> >
>>>> > 1. the range map
>>>> > 2. the really shocking red hair-do on Mister Quail
>>>> > 3. the relatively plain belly, with the dark blotch
>>>> >
>>>> > Can anyone give me some clues about what we saw?
>>>> >
>>>> > Lisa Lazar
>>>> > Oakland
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> http://howsrobb.blogspot.com/2009/05/whats-that-quail-robert.html
>>>> >
>>>> >
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>-- 
>Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA        jmorlan (at) ccsf.edu 
>SF Birding Classes start Sept. 15  http://fog.ccsf.edu/~jmorlan/
>California Bird Records Committee  http://www.californiabirds.org/
>Western Field Ornithologists       http://www.westernfieldornithologists.org/
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