BirdAnalyst
Species · BBS 2026 Release · 1966–2025

Scaled Quail Population Analysis

OdontophoridaeGame birdsCallipepla squamata

Scaled Quail has held roughly steady: down 3% on the route-weighted index since 1969.

-3%Since 1969TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →
234RoutesSurvey routesHow many standard-protocol BBS routes contributed counts. More routes means a steadier, better-sampled index; very thin coverage is suppressed.Full methodology →
58Years SurveyedYears surveyedNumber of years with at least one standard-protocol run in this geography. A longer record makes the trend more reliable.Full methodology →

About the Scaled Quail

The Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata) is a North American member of the New World Quail (Odontophoridae). In this analysis it is grouped with the game birds.

Size
8–11 in long (20–28 cm) — a small, round game bird (typical for the family)
Habitat
Fields, brushland, prairie and the forest floor, where it forages and nests on the ground.
Diet
Seeds, grain, buds, leaves and insects gathered on the ground.
Range
Recorded on 234 Breeding Bird Survey routes across 8 states, most concentrated in the Shortgrass Prairie.
Family
Odontophoridae · Game birds

Notable Scaled Quail TrendsNotable signalsLong-arc shifts the engine flags automatically — sustained declines or increases large enough to stand out from year-to-year noise.Full methodology →

No notable trend signals for Scaled Quail. See the full index history below.

Scaled Quail Population Forecast

If the recent trend holds, Scaled Quail is projected to fall about 29% by 2030 — from 0.51 in 2025 to a central estimate of 0.36 (95% range 0.08–0.65). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±33%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.

-29%Change by 2030TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →
0.36Projected 2030 indexProjected indexThe central forecast of the abundance index if the recent trend continues. A projection of the current trajectory, not a prediction.Full methodology →
0.08–0.6595% range95% rangeThe 95% uncertainty band around the projection at the forecast horizon. The true value should land inside it most of the time.Full methodology →
±33%Backtest errorBacktest errorTypical error when we hold out the most recent years, forecast them, and compare to what actually happened. Lower means a more trustworthy projection.Full methodology →
If the recent trend holds, Scaled Quail is projected to fall about 29% by 2030 — from 0.51 in 2025 to a central estimate of 0.36 (95% range 0.08–0.65). A 5-year backtest shows a typical error of ±33%, with 100% of held-out values landing inside the 95% band.19672030
Projection of the recent trend (dashed) with 80/95% bands — a projection, not a prediction. Habitat, climate, and land use are not modeled.
YearProjected indexProjected indexThe central forecast of the abundance index if the recent trend continues. A projection of the current trajectory, not a prediction.Full methodology →95% low95% rangeThe 95% uncertainty band around the projection at the forecast horizon. The true value should land inside it most of the time.Full methodology →95% high95% rangeThe 95% uncertainty band around the projection at the forecast horizon. The true value should land inside it most of the time.Full methodology →
20260.360.080.65
20270.360.080.65
20280.360.080.65
20290.360.080.65
20300.360.080.65

Where the Scaled Quail Is Detected

BBS routes recording Scaled Quail, sized by most recent count.

Scaled Quail Population Trend by State

Scaled Quail population trend by state.
TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →Baseline yearThe first year of the smoothed window the trend is measured from. An earlier baseline means a longer record stands behind the number.Full methodology →Survey routesHow many standard-protocol BBS routes contributed counts. More routes means a steadier, better-sampled index; very thin coverage is suppressed.Full methodology →
Arizona+28%197011
Colorado-67%197125
Kansasinsufficient datan/a2
New Mexico+9%197068
Oklahoma-66%197111
Texas-51%1969114
Utahinsufficient datan/a2
Washingtoninsufficient datan/a1

Scaled Quail Population Trend by Region

Bird Conservation Regions are the ecological unit for trends.

Scaled Quail population trend by Bird Conservation Region.
TrendPercent change in the route-weighted abundance index between a smoothed baseline window and the most recent one. It tracks direction, not absolute population.Full methodology →Baseline yearThe first year of the smoothed window the trend is measured from. An earlier baseline means a longer record stands behind the number.Full methodology →Survey routesHow many standard-protocol BBS routes contributed counts. More routes means a steadier, better-sampled index; very thin coverage is suppressed.Full methodology →
Southern Rockies / Colorado Plateau-57%197032
Shortgrass Prairie-38%196977
Central Mixed Grass Prairie-96%196921
Oaks and Prairies-93%19727
Sierra Madre Occidental-30%197012
Chihuahuan Desert-44%196955
Tamaulipan Brushlands-95%196924

Scaled Quail Conservation Status

Our route-weighted index shows it down about 3% since 1969.

Source: USGS North American Breeding Bird Survey, retrieved 2026-08-14. Trend is a route-weighted relative-abundance index, not an absolute population.