California Quail

(my pics)
Voice - a loud distinctive ka-kah-ko or Chi-ca-go, the second note highest.

Nesting – 12-16 cream or buff-colored eggs, blotched and dotted with brown, in a shallow depression lined with grass.

Perched on a tree or a fence post, the male California Quail claims his territory by cackling and posturing. The entire family takes to trees for roosting as well as for safety. After the breeding season, these birds become gregarious, gathering in large coveys and often visiting city parks, gardens, and yards. This is the quail with the “topknot” featured in the animated films of Walt Disney.