Gambel’s Quail Chick
Tucson Wildlife Center would like to recognize Julia and Lillian, EMTs for AMR Southern Arizona, for going above and beyond the call of duty to rescue an orphaned Gambel’s Quail Chick. They had just dropped off a patient at NW Medical Center Houghton when Julia looked out the window of the hospital and saw a tiny baby quail alone on the sidewalk, with no other chicks or parents in sight. Recognizing that this little one was certainly in danger in the busy emergency zone of the hospital, she quickly googled “wildlife centers in Tucson” and found Tucson Wildlife Center was less than 15 minutes away. Julia then called her supervisor for permission to go off duty, scooped the baby up into a plastic pan with a shirt inside, and she and Lillian made the quick trip to TWC with their tiny patient.
Unlike many songbirds which are born helpless and require frequent feeding from their parents, baby quail hatch from the egg and “hit the road running.” They are precocial birds which means they can run around and find their own food just a few hours after hatching, though they remain with their parents for safety and comfort until they molt from down to feathers and are able to fly. Upon being admitted to TWC’s Baby Bird and Small Mammal Wing, the ambulance-transported-chick was immediately placed in an incubator to warm up, was given hydrating fluid, then placed with other chicks of similar age for a few weeks of special care before being released together. TWC’s animal care team hangs a feather duster in each baby quail enclosure to simulate their mother. The chicks run under it just as they would run to mom for safety and warmth (see video).
Thank you, Julia, Lillian, and AMR Southern Arizona for caring about even the smallest of creatures!
If you would like to help patients like this Gambel’s Quail chick, click the donate button below.
Another way you can contribute is to visit our “wish list” on Amazon by clicking on the Amazon Wish List button below. We appreciate it, as will all the wild animals in our care!
Below is a short video of Gambel’s chicks
