Scaled Quail Rendezvous

Sometimes you can search high and low for wildlife and rarely see it. While on a video shoot in New Mexico, however, we happened upon this group of scaled quail–literally under our noses in the parking lot. They attracted quite a crowd with their gregarious grouping and feisty ways–running back and forth in the empty lot. Often found in these highly social groups they also mix with Gambel’s quail, as seen here. At night they sleep on the ground in large circles, with their heads pointed outward for group safety. Usually choosing to sprint from danger instead of flying, these fast-runners are also known by the colloquial name of “cotton-top.”

Music: “Rocky Top” by Jason Shaw

View the video in our Stock Footage Section >>