[EBB Sightings] Gambel's Quail-Mines Road, Santa Clara County

On Sat, 7 May 2005 23:22:58 -0700, Anne Blandin 
wrote:

>I am very curious about other sightings of 
>this bird this far north.  

There are no substantiated records of naturally occurring Gambel's Quail
anywhere in Northern California.

>Are there any Santa Clara County records for 
>Gambel's Quail?  

No.

Gambel's Quail is a sedentary species of the Desert Southwest.  If
authentic, this bird would have to have been an escape from captivity or a
deliberate release for hunting purposes.  

Other claims of this species in Northern California were based on
misidentified California Quail which can look very similar.  Both can show
a black belly.  Key differences are the chestnut-red color to the cap and
sides, and black forehead to the Gambel's Quail.

-- 
Joseph Morlan, Pacifica, CA 94044  jmorlan (at) ccsf.org 
Birding Classes in SF start Feb.8  http://fog.ccsf.edu/~jmorlan/
California Bird Records Committee  http://www.wfo-cbrc.org/cbrc/