Simple Joys

May my heart always be open to little birds who are the secrets of living.  -EE Cummings

Gambel’s quail are plentiful throughout my desert gardens, where coveys gather under the shade of nearby bushes. While they can fly, these beautiful birds prefer walking instead, keeping them grounded. They are communal birds comprising of parents and chicks. Both parents will take part in the incubation. I recently learned, from Cornell Lab, that just before her eggs hatch, the female quail will call to her chicks and they will cheep to one another inside the eggs. They will hatch all at once, with the chick cutting a hole in the largest part of the shell, opening the “door” it has created.

Once hatched, mom and dad share in cooperative parenting. Several adults will often combine their babies into groups that all the adults watch over. Raising baby birds (and children) takes a village! Gambel’s quail stick together skittering in groups, where one goes, the others are soon to follow. It’s easy to see why these quail symbolize community, family, abundance, resilience, faith, and courage throughout a multitude of cultures.

Custom framed Original Oil, 16×12, $1445