The Last of the Babies ©

A Miracle in the Wild

    

Most birds are born helpless, like humans, and remain in the nest for two or three weeks 

but baby quail are born in an advanced stage and are ready to run.

Do you think that their Big Feet have anything to do with their ability to run?  Gambel's Quail, Arizona's most common quail, have adapted to suburban developments and will nest anywhere in a yard.  Quail don't spend a lot of time building nests--maybe a few sticks and leaves and sometimes only a shaded depression.

These baby quail hatched in our backyard--the eggs were in a place very safe from predators.   

But after they hatched the problems started.  The yard is WALLED in because there is a POOL--two big challenges for baby dust balls.  They can't fly right after being hatched so they couldn't fly over the wall, they were too tiny to jump up the steps to get out of the yard and they don't swim.

Quail are social and community-oriented, and consolidate families to form larger groups--an effective way of defending themselves and their youngsters from predators.  For several days we heard chirp, chirp, chirp, peep, peep, peep!  Mom and dad came in and out of the yard to try and keep these little runners in one spot.  They did a great job and got the babies out of the yard--somehow!

BORN to RUN!

(Copyright 2012)