This time a covey of scaled quail shot into the desert sky with astonishing speed as they caught a 15-mile per hour breeze and blew toward the high country in an instant.

The 2024 scaled quail population survey was again strong this year, but most increases were observed outside the Trans-Pecos, the region that holds the most scaled quail in Texas.

The Trans-Pecos region is the best-known for scaled quail, and numbers there remain above the 15-year average despite a dry year. Texas quail numbers are tied to habitat and rainfall.

Scaled quail has earned the nickname "blue quail," "cotton top," or "Mexican quail," according to the TPWS. It can be identified by its bluish-grey color with extensive markings on the back, ...

ODWC officials say, two species of quail can be found in Oklahoma—the statewide northern bobwhite’s and the scaled quail which is restricted to the western edge, including the panhandle.

For scaled quail, the Trans-Pecos had 20.12 birds per route, above the 15-year average of 17.49. The number is similar to last year’s estimate of 20.65, but the two surveys tell very different ...

The 2024 scaled quail population survey was again strong this year, but most increases were observed outside the Trans-Pecos, the region that holds the most scaled quail in Texas.