The Four Keys to ID
- Size & Shape
A plump chickenlike bird with a rotund body, a small head, a short tail, and a short, thick bill. Flies on short and rounded wings.
Relative Size
Larger than a Western Meadowlark, smaller than a Ring-necked Pheasant.
between robin and crow
Measurements
- Both Sexes
- Length: 11.8-13.0 in (30-33 cm)
- Weight: 13.6-17.6 oz (385-500 g)
- Wingspan: 20.9-22.1 in (53-56 cm)
© John Hanna / Macaulay Library
- Color Pattern
Gray above with a tan to orange face and rusty stripes on the sides. Gray below with a rusty tail and a brown horseshoe-shaped patch on the breast, larger on males.
© Lauri Taylor / Macaulay Library - Behavior
Forages on the ground in small groups made up of adults and their offspring. Pushes its head forward and flicks its tail while walking and often runs in a crouched position. When disturbed bursts into the air, flying low over the ground with rapid wingbeats.
- Habitat
In North America found primarily in cultivated fields and grasslands with hedgerows.
© Bob Bidney / Macaulay Library