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Glite Dictionary
California quail

California quail

5.6
A plump, short-tailed bird with a feather that bends forward on its head
  • noun
  • /ˌkælɪˈfɔrnjə kweɪl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : codorniz de California
  • The distinctive call of the California quail can often be heard in the early morning near the coast.

Examples

  • While hiking in the mountains, we spotted a group of California quail foraging for seeds.

  • We spotted a flock of California quail in the park this morning.

  • Habitat loss has reduced the number of California quail in some regions.

  • The distinctive head plume makes the California quail easy to identify.

  • The California quail is a common sight in gardens.

  • I saw a California quail while hiking in Oregon.

  • In the fall, the California quail gathers with its flock to search for food as the weather cools.

Synonyms

quail
vsCalifornia quail
25 4.2

A small round bird with a short tail that lives in fields

is the specific coastal species with a unique forward head plume
Lofortyx californicus
vsCalifornia quail
9.9

A plump ground bird with a feather on its head that lives on the California and Oregon coast

is the common name used in everyday English

Surface Forms

California quail singular
California quails plural

Morphology

California + quail

The meaning is directly compositional: 'California' specifies the origin/association and 'quail' names the bird, so a learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a quail associated with California. This place‑name + noun pattern is common cross‑linguistically and follows normal English noun modification, making the expression immediately understandable to a B1 learner.

Etymology

California quail got its name because people first named this small quail after California, where it is often found. Its tiny forward-drooping head plume makes it easy to spot, so the name now means 'the quail from California'.