Northern Bobwhite x Scaled Quail Hybridization

Written by Abigail Holmes, Texas A&M University

Edited by Amanda Gobeli, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Associate

The northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) and scaled (aka “blue”) quail (Callipepla squamata) are distinct species which are easy to tell apart at a glance. Bobwhites have dark brown back coloration and facial stripes, while blue quail have a “cotton top” crest, light gray bodies and the scaly breast feather pattern which gives them their name. It may surprise you to learn that these two occasionally interbreed in the wild and create hybrid offspring that are affectionately referred to as “blobs.” Bobwhites and scaled quail are naturally sympatric—meaning their ranges overlap—throughout west central Texas, most of the panhandle and the western 1/3 of South Texas. Although scaled quail typically are found in the more xeric, desert-like terrain of West Texas, their populations have recently expanded to reclaim some of their former (pre-1990) territory, resulting in a wider shared range for the two species (TPWD 2017).

Photo from TPWD. To learn more about the different habitat needs for these quail species, read our blog post Plant Cover for Texas Quail.

More shared territory means more opportunities for scaled and bobwhite quail to intermingle, which may lead to the formation of mixed species mated pairs. Bobwhite/scaled quail hybrids have been reported in many counties throughout the sympatric range, including documented cases in Concho County in west central Texas, and Motley and Stonewall Counties in the Texas panhandle (Sutton 1963). One bird was harvested by a landowner in Concho County in 1890, a hunter collected a hybrid in Motley County in 1956, and two hybrid cocks were taken by in Stonewall County in 1959 and submitted as scientific specimens (Sutton 1963). Observations dating back to the 1950s suggest that interbreeding may be fairly common in Stonewall County, and coveys containing primarily hybrid birds have been spotted (Sutton 1963).

A male Bobwhite (left) and a Scaled Quail (right). Photos from Texas A&M Agrilife Extension and Eleanor Briccetti.

“Blob” hybrids often represent a blend of the unmistakable characteristics of each of their parent species. In general, they resemble the scaled parent more closely but much variation has been observed in the throat color of males – ranging from solid white to a dark brown (Wint 1960). Female “blobs” tend to all look very similar to one another. The crest feathers are usually elongated like those of the scaled quail but often lack the signature white “cotton top” that is seen in the non-hybrid birds. Like their physical traits, the calls of hybrid quail are a unique mixture of elements inherited from both parents. Mature hybrid males have been heard using the familiar “bobwhite” syllables but with less enunciation and at volumes comparable to scaled quail (Wint 1960).

A Bobwhite (left), hybrid (center), and Scaled Quail (right). Photo from Cody Webb.

Hybrids clearly occur in the wild, but what do they mean for quail populations? In 1954, George Wint, director of the Darlington Game Farm in Oklahoma, conducted a study in which he mated a hybrid bobwhite/scaled cock with a hybrid hen. Although they produced 170 eggs, none developed an embryo (Wint 1960). Similar studies also found that, in general, hybrids are sterile and cannot influence the population genetics of the two separate species (Johnsgard 1970). Although bobwhite/scaled hybrids are perhaps the most commonly seen in Texas, many other quail hybrids can – and do - exist. Various mixtures of the bobwhite, scaled, California, and Gambel’s quail have either been reported in the wild or bred in captivity (Johnsgard 1970). Studies attempting to produce hybrids in captivity have proven that it is relatively easy to form cross-species pairs. The majority of the hybrids were sterile and only one second generation successfully bred using backcrossing: the mating of a female hybrid scaled/Gambel’s with a male scaled quail produced eight offspring which died just six days after hatching (Johnsgard 1971).

Examples of "blob" specimens. Photo from quailresearch.org

Although “blobs” will never have a huge impact on population genetics, you might be wondering how they will influence the reproductive potential of both bobwhite and scaled quail species. It could possibly negatively affect a single group of quail if females are spending their time incubating nests of hybrid offspring with no potential to reproduce and grow their numbers in the future. However, there have been such small numbers of hybrids reported in the wild that it is not likely a concern for overall population numbers at the current time. These quirky quail hybrids can be exciting to find in the wild and are an interesting topic of research. Further studies of these birds could create a more complete picture of the evolutionary differences between quail species and the genetics that make each species unique.

Literature Cited

1. Johnsgard, Paul A. 1971. Experimental hybridization of the New World quail (Odontophorinae). The Auk 88(2): 264-275. 
2. Johnsgard, Paul A. 1970. A summary of intergeneric New World quail hybrids, and a new intergeneric hybrid combination. The Condor 72(1):85-88. 
3. McCabe, Robert A. 1954. Hybridization between the bob-white and scaled quail. The Auk 71(3):293-297. 
4. Shupe, Tom E. 1990. Frequency of northern bobwhite x scaled quail hybridization. The Wilson Bulletin 102(2):352-353. 
5. Sutton, George Miksch. 1963. Interbreeding in the wild of the bob-white (Colinus virginianus) and scaled quail (Callipepla squamata) in Stonewall County, northwestern Texas. The Southwestern Naturalist 8(2):108-111. 
6. Texas Parks and Wildlife. 2017. Bobwhite quail management in the Texas Panhandle. Texas Parks and Wildlife. Web.
7. Wint, G. B. 1960. A record of hybrid bobwhite x scaled quail. Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Science 40:151-152.