The wood duck is so beautiful that its scientific name, Aix sponsa, means “water bird in bridal dress.” Being so beautiful (and tasty!), by the 1880s, the once-abundant wood duck was disappearing
quickly due to hunting and habitat loss.
The California quail, Callipepla californica, is one of Americaʼs
most interesting game birds. It is easily recognizable by its loud calls
and by the clump of feathers on its head called a topknot. Over the years, this bird has been given several common names,
including California quail, valley quail,
and...