Bobwhite quail; photo by Larry Smith on Flickr (use permitted with attribution).
Official State Game Bird of Missouri
The bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) was designated the official state game bird of Missouri in 2007 (Missouri's state bird was adopted in 1927). All State Birds
Bobwhite Quail Facts
Also known as a partridge, the bobwhite quail is a small, chunky brown bird with a short tail. Bobwhite quail can be found throughout Missouri in a variety of habitats. During the fall and winter, northern bobwhites form loose social groups of ten to thirty birds (a group is called a covey of quail).
The male bobwhite quail has a sharply-defined white throat and white stripe above the eyes (females have a buff-colored throat patch and eye stripes). In spring the male bobwhite whistles the clear, familiar 3-note whistle, which the female answers with a 4-syllable whistle. The bobwhite hen lays 10-20 white eggs (more than almost any other bird).
