Gamble Quail as Single Parent?

Now, we know that many animal species only have one parent, Bear, Chimpanzee, Dove and other songbirds, Cockroach, Betta Fish just to name a few. Most, however have they protection of both male and female parents. The Gamble's Quail usually raise their young together. Hubby and I have enjoyed watching all the critters on our piece of rental heaven on the west side of the Tucson Mountains and it was quite a heartwrenching experience at times. Wildlife and Nature can seem cruel indeed especially with their. David and I were thrilled to see our first baby quails from two sets of parents this past March, 2011. Both sets of quail had 12-15 tiny little yellow balls of fluff! They were so tiny and very hard to count as they all bundled along fast as possible behind their father quail and the mother quail always brought up the rear.

Within a few days their yellow was dust coloured and they were cut down to 7 apiece, then 4 in one clutch and 3 in the other. All within the first 14 days of life! Now they are both down to 3 apiece and one set is larger than the other, born just a few days apart but you can see their growth increase daily! One of the little quail is just showing the crest on top of his head and he will shadow his father and looks so BIG standing next to his father on the biggest rock in the front of the house! The little one will stretch his neck and put his head up high to mimic his parent. Their colours are still brown and dusty but finally starting to show the stripes and lighter colour to their stomachs.

In May for almost an entire week we saw only the smaller 3 with both male and female quail. The set with the largest chick just starting to grow a crest just seemed to have disappeared. Since the only thing Arizonians can legally feed are the birds you can imagine my worry and hubby's reassurance "They've moved on, they are fine, Boo" but I had a bad feeling. Finally the family returned, without the female quail! The mother was gone. I was afraid that soon the chicks would be n their own. Quail are usually docile and will back off from the dove the rabbits and the chipmunks if they are on their quail block.

(Yes we know that means we are feeding more than birds. In truth, we put up a sign stating "For legal purposes only birds are allowed to feed," but unfortunately we seem to live in a neighborhood inhabited by extremely rebellious coyotes, javelina, cottontails and chipmunks who have NO regard for authority! What to do?)

But here we are middle of June and we have certainly received a lesson on a fathers love for his children! On this Father's Day I felt it fitting to devote this hub to single parents everywhere and especially to all Father's everywhere!

The male quail has lost a LOT of his weight and no wonder, with just three chicks he is in constant motion trying to keep them together and same. Strange to see the chicks right under the belly of the cottontail who is standing on his hind quarters gnawing off hunks of the quail block but if the single parent chicks get close to the covey of quail with BOTH parents Look Out! That male parent will run at the chick and try its best to peck it! So here comes the Dad of his 3 chicks, wings a flappin and head just a bobbin and that funny two toned cry. Sometimes its all a bluff but more often than not both males end up stomach to stomach and wings just a going! Very frightening to see when you have watched the family since birth

Well, OK since conception but we are being polite here :)

Both covey have their own routine and from what we have determined live on opposite sides of the house, in the desert brush like creosote and underneath the prickly pear cactus. They are most active early morning and from about three o'clock to near dark around seven or eight o'clock. Of course the set I watch for most closely is the single parent family and the father quail runs the same pattern and almost literally run is the correct word! He keeps those chicks moving! If he allows them even a short rest all three put their beaks down and follow it.

It is so funny to see one look up, realize it is separated and make a beeline to his Dad! Better yet, to hear a different call from the male quail and all three look up and peep peep their way QUICKLY back to his side where he will bob his head, scratch the dirt, sending dust flying and the chicks just a pecking. They eat insects a lot while they are young but as grown quail they eat mostly seeds. The scratching makes you realize why the pioneers called them Prairie Hens and they can and do fly and often get onto the Palo Verde tree limbs to look out but they nest and roost on the ground undercover.

One thing that is different about all fowl here in the desert compared to the south is the birds love to drink the water and they drink deeply but they bathe in the dust! It gets the insects off their feathers and they preen each feather with great time and care but they do not splash in the water bowl! The one exception are the tiny finch. If it rains and it is on the ground in a shallow depressionn I have seen them splashing but not the larger birds at all.

I hope you have enjoyed this look and tribute to a Father's loving care for his children! Happy Father's Day to all you wonderful Dad's from my David and I!