Baby Quail
Tiny, speedy, and surprisingly loud—baby quail have taken over our nursery in our Baby Bird and Small Mammal Wing. Tucson Wildlife Center is currently caring for nearly 200 chicks, and we are receiving about 20 new intakes a day. Some arrive one or two at a time, while others come in groups of six to eight.
These chicks are Gambel’s quail, a species whose young develop very differently from many other birds. Quail chicks hatch ready to move and can walk, run, and follow their parents within hours. Because of this, they leave the nest almost immediately and travel together as a family group, or brood.
If disturbed, quail families often scatter as a protective response. This can make it seem like a chick has been abandoned, when the parents are nearby and will return once the area is quiet, using soft calls to gather their chicks back together.
One important challenge with quail is that once chicks are removed, reuniting them with their family is extremely difficult and often not possible. For that reason, giving them space from the start is one of the most important ways to help. Watching from a distance and allowing a little time for the parents to return often gives these chicks their best chance to stay with their family. Approaching too quickly can cause the adults to flee and unintentionally leave the chicks behind.
At TWC, our wildlife care team works hard to recreate natural conditions for the chicks in our care—using heat support and feather dusters to mimic the comfort of being tucked under a parent. If reunion is not possible, our goal shifts to raising them as a cohesive, wild group that can function independently at release. Because they are naturally social, keeping them with other quail chicks (same or similar age) is a big advantage, as they learn from each other and develop normal group behaviors.
Stay tuned for updates on releases! If you would like to help patients like these baby quail, click this link to donate,
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We appreciate it, as will all the wild animals in our care!
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