A quail is like a tiny, plump feathered orb that sometimes thinks it's a chicken but forgot to grow up. It has a weirdly round body, short legs, and a topknot that looks like it’s perpetually having a bad hair day. It hops around in the brush, trying to be inconspicuous while making a series of comical chirps that sound a bit like someone trying to mimic a squeaky toy. When startled, it performs a dramatic, flappy escape, often fleeing in a straight line rather than using its wings gracefully. Its eggs are like little speckled milestones of miniature chicken aspirations. If you put all of this together, you might end up with a quirky little bird that’s just kind of hanging out, avoiding the spotlight.