Totem of the day is Quail! Let yourself start that inventive or creative project you have been wanting to do for, while it may stretch you a bit, it will be a significant part of your personal growth. This may spark a larger sense of who you are with an emphasis on understanding your own power and purpose. Stay away from unhealthy or fast foods for the nest week. Focus instead on healthy and home cooked meals. Do not let yourself respond to any threats or criticisms that may be coming, but, instead, either excuse yourself quietly for a few minutes or change the subject in order to change the flow of energy in the situation. The Quail totem is known for it's connection to finding your inner self, reaching higher knowledge, and keeping open minded. When Quail shows up, it can often signify a time of deeper understanding as well as a time to observe our surroundings in order to evade any sort of danger or problem. Quail teaches us to analyze and learn in order to understand our environment. Sometimes, Quail can also remind us to pay attention to our family life and whether we are spending enough time, or too much time, on others. The Native American Peublo people saw the Quail as associated with the Earth while the Romans saw the fighting spirit of the Quail as a symbol for courage and victory in battle. Many Greek tales show individuals being turned into Quails and being called Quail was a term of endearment with lovers giving gifts of a Quail as a sign of love. People who connect with Quail are romantic and attentive to their partners in a consistent way that builds a shared level of emotional and phsyical bonding. These individuals prefer to be around groups of people they love and tend to give much of themselves to others in order to help share physical and mental nourishment. At times, they are known to suddenly break out into laughter or singing that will brighten any room they are in.

Quail, Coturnix Coturnix, are omnivorous birds that can live up to 5 years in the wild. These medium-sized avians can grow to approximately 8 inches in height, a weight of just under 5 oz, and a wingspan of 14 inches. They are most closely related to Pheasants and are separated into two types: Old World and New World Quail. There are over 15 species of Quail with slight differences in looks depending on where they are found. Some species of Old World quail are known to migrate, while none of the New World species will migrate. There are 6 species of Quail native to North America such as the California Quail featured in this illustration, the Bobwhite Quail, and the Mountain Quail. . Most Quail are brown and grey colors in order to help them camouflage into their environment while males are often more colorful with some species possessing a fancy feather on the top of their head called a Plume. The diet of a Quail consists of primarily seeds, fruits, flowers, and wheat with supplements of insects, grasshoppers, and worms. Young Quail are known to eat a larger amount of insects before transistioning to a manly plant-based diet as adults. They will often search for food once in the morning and later in the late afternoon. They will prefer habitats filled with brush, wild grasses, and open woodlands where plant life and insects are easy to find. Although they do not often fly, preferring to run or leap high into the air in a burst of flight when startled. The California Quail has been known to reach a running speed of 12 mph with an ability to fly into the air at around 58 mph. Although solitary creatures, they are known to gather and times and these groups are called Coveys which number between 8 and 25 birds. These groups will gather together during the breeding season before breaking off into pair bonds of individual male and females in the late spring and early summer. These pairs will build nests together where the female will lay between 10 - 16 brightly speckled eggs, the amount often depending on species. In approximately a month, the babies will hatch. If a clutch is unsuccessful, however, some quail such as the California Quail will try to breed again during the summer. Male Quail will also help to incubate the eggs when the female is unavailable. After hatching, the babies will stay for some time before becoming able to mate around 2 months of age.