Quail Queue

We have had showery weather today and the quail have brought the extended family to shelter on the deck. We are starting to see a pattern in their behaviour emerge. In the winter they wander around in large groups of 30 or more, and pair off in the spring to mate. A pair used to visit us on the deck quite often and peer into the house ( or probably look at their reflections in the glass ). After the young have been born about 4 or 5 families come together and the males keep watch at the peimeter of the group as they herd the young ones round. They are really cute to watch !