The Gambel's jaunty, plumed topknot (carried by both sexes) makes for ready identification along with the males bright russet cap, black face and bib, and cream-colored belly marked with a black horseshoe. As with all species of quail, the young of the year can be distinguished through their first winter by their spotted secondary wing coverts. Adult males average only about 6 ounces; the slightly smaller females between 5.7 and 5.9 ounces.

Males have white and black harlequin-marked heads, capped by a russet shock of feathers that form an ill-fitting crest. These cock quail also possess handsome brown and black checkered backs interlaced with white darts, and white-spotted black flanks similar to a guinea fowl's. Their breasts and underparts are rich mahogany that turns to black at the rump, which terminates in a stubby, almost non-existent tail. The hens are cinnamon with brown, black and buff markings.

Both sexes of this species display white, conical crests, hence the common name of "cotton top." The Scaled appellation is appropriate, however, the birds possess a distinctive scalloping on the breast, nape, and belly. Otherwise, their overall color is tan above with a mixture of beige, grays, and whites below. A generally bigger bird than the Gambel's quail, adult male "scallies" average about 7.3 ounces, females 6.7 ounces.

These chunky, medium-sized birds weigh from .99-1.65 lbs, measure from 40 to 50 cm in length, and span 50-64 cm across their short, strong wings. Ruffed grouse have two distinct morphs: grey and brown. In the grey morph, the head, neck, and back are grey-brown; the breast is light with barring. Brown-morph birds have tails of the same color and pattern, but the rest of the plumage is much more brown, giving the appearance of a much more uniform bird.

The brown-mottled American Woodcock walks slowly along the forest floor, probing the soil with its long bill in search of earthworms. Unlike its coastal relatives, this plump little shorebird lives in young forests and shrubby old files across eastern North America. Its cryptic plumage and low-profile behavior makes it hard to find except in the springtime at dawn or dusk, when the males show off for the females by giving loud, nasal "peent" calls and performing dazzling aerial displays.

Found across open fields and weedy roadsides in the U.S. and southern Canada. Males sport iridescent copper-and-gold plumage, a red face, and a crisp white collar. Their rooster-like crowing can be heard from up to a mile away. The brown females blend in with their field habitat. Introduced to the U.S. from Asia in the 1880's, pheasants quickly became one of North America's most popular upland game birds. Watch for them along roads or bursting into flight from brushy cover.

Sharptail grouse and Prairie Chicken

Four feet tall, and alternating color patterns