Montezuma Quail: Alpine Researchers Unlock the Secrets of West Texas’s “Invisible Bird”

Montezuma quail are an avian conundrum. They’re among the most visually stunning birds in Far West Texas: The males have sky-blue bills, black-and-white striped faces and chestnut bellies covered in white polka dots. But they’re also masters of concealment. You could spend a lifetime here and never see one.