California Quail in California

California Quails live in California all year. Wet, mild winters are the green season — the busiest time at coastal feeders as sparrows and hummingbirds settle in. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward seeds and greens.

Mediterranean along the coast and Central Valley, alpine in the Sierra Nevada, and desert in the southeast.

Across California, California quail typically nest from March–July. Nest site: shallow ground scrape. Females lay 12–16 eggs, incubate for 22–23 days, and young leave the nest after a few hours (chicks are precocial).

Dry summers with little rain from May to October; water and summer-blooming natives matter more than extra seed.

• California Quail don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as rabbitbrush, palo verde, prickly pear for nest sites.
• Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

Of the regional native plants we track for California, these 8 provide food or cover California quail use:

State bird of California; coveys need brushy cover next to open feeding areas.

• Best foods: Millet, Cracked corn.
• In California's winter: Wet, mild winters are the green season — the busiest time at coastal feeders as sparrows and hummingbirds settle in.

Full diet breakdown for California quail · Best feeder for California quail