I was driving the back roads to Devil’s Punchbowl when I came around a bend and a quail darted across the road.

I slowed down, since more often than not, several quail will follow the lead across the road. Sure enough, that is what happened. It was the last two quail that decided to run halfway across the road; then they jumped up and flew into the thick rabbit bush. I guess they needed to show the group they were independent thinkers.

Their move made me wonder why they preferred to stay close to the ground and only use flight as their last resort to escape danger. I wondered if it was due to their plump bodies, which would make them less aerodynamic.

As I continued driving toward Devil’s Punchbowl, I began to wonder about another bird that prefers walking over flying: the roadrunner.

I had always felt roadrunners had a wingspan large enough to assist them into trees but not efficient enough to sustain any long flights. That night after my hike, I decided to satisfy my curiosity.

I was surprised to learn there are 130 species of quail scattered around the world. The only continent where quail are not found is Antarctica.

Why do quail prefer to walk-run over flying? As I expected, the quail’s body frame is not built for extended flying. More importantly, since they are foragers, it makes sense to stay close to their food source.

Their diet consists mainly of seeds and leaves, but they will also eat some berries and insects, all of which are mainly found on the ground. Also, they make their nests on the ground, usually hidden under a bush or nestled up next to a log, and they won’t forage far from the nest. In fact, California quail rarely migrate more than 10 miles from where they are hatched.

I think there are three things that help the quail survive as ground dwellers. First, they have an effective desert camouflage, which helps protect them by making them somewhat invisible to their predators. Second, they have strong legs that allow them to run at speeds up to 12 mph and can quickly maneuver in and out and through brush. Third, when all else fails, they will burst into flight. They make a loud, whirling sound with their wings and take off for a short distance.

Here’s a fun fact: The California quail are among the fastest flyers of all quail and have been reported to reach flying speeds of 38 mph to 58 mph. I could hardly believe they could achieve such a speed in such short flights.

All three are necessary in order to survive their predators, which include Cooper’s hawks, sharp-shinned hawks, great horned owls, various species of jays, ground squirrels, coyotes, skunks and bobcats. Many snakes also prey on these birds.

Domestic predators include house cats and man. So there is a good reason why quail prefer to stick to the ground: They have a better ability to avoid being the main course on the ground than in the air.

Why do roadrunners prefer sticking to the ground rather than venturing into the wild blue yonder? The situation is similar to that of the California quail. Roadrunners have short, rounded wings, and their bodies are just not built for flight.

Despite these drawbacks, roadrunners are capable of flight when threatened, although they generally jump up to higher perches with the fluttering wings assisting. Once on a high point, they can glide to other perches, but they can stay airborne only for a few seconds to less than a minute.

As with California quail, roadrunners are agile and swift on the ground. Roadrunners have been clocked at speeds of 18 mph to 26 mph. They use their long tail to steer, brake and balance, adding to their nimbleness. This agility aids them in catching their food and also in avoiding being a meal for a hungry predator.

Roadrunners are omnivores, eating almost anything they can find. They forage the ground for insects, seeds, eggs, reptiles, rodents and rattlesnakes. They also leap to catch unsuspecting flying insects or birds. When pursued by a predator such as a coyote, raccoon, skunk or bird of prey, the roadrunner can generally outrun them and hide in a patch of brush.

Similar to the quail, the roadrunner builds its nest a few feet off of the ground. They also don’t migrate. Roadrunners are monogamous, mating for life, and they are highly territorial. Once situated, the roadrunner doesn’t need to pick up and move, since its food source is anything and everything and is not dependent on seasons.

I was surprised at the similarity of California quail and roadrunners until after reading many articles and published papers on the two birds. It makes sense that they generally stick to the ground since they are more agile and thus able to escape harm. Their wings are an added benefit – or a safety redundancy – allowing them to escape an untenable situation. Migration is unnecessary, since there is always a food source, so the need to fly long distances in search of food is unnecessary.

These similarities and characteristics of both birds demonstrate they fill the same environmental habitat. This habitat, or niche, is an area of about 10 miles in radius, extending horizontally from ground level to the height of the small tree or shrub. Both birds can find everything they need to survive and reproduce in this small niche.

Gini Lomerson is a docent at the Placerita Canyon Nature Center.