Identifying sex of mountain quail by length of crest plume

Publication Type:

Journal Article

Authors:

Pine, Donald S.

Source:

Journal of Wildlife Management, The Wildlife Society, Volume 45, Issue 4, p.1056-1057 (1981)

Call Number:

A81PIN01IDUS

Keywords:

Mountain Quail, Oreonyx pictus

Abstract:

Between 1972 and 1979 I measured the head plumes of 105 mountain quail (Oreonyx pictus) that I shot in fall in Monterey County, California. My purpose was to test the hypothesis that plume length is a valid external indicator of sex for this species, as they otherwise are similar in appearance. The sex of each bird was determined by internal examination of gonads. Birds of the year were differentiated from adults by examination of the greater upper primary coverts, which are buff-tipped in young and steelgray in adults.