This morning a huge family of them came running toward the house. They were comically earnest, scurrying around but sticking together. When I grabbed the camera the gang had already zoomed by. The official word I guess is "covey."
They are also called "blue racers" (for their jolly running speed) or "cotton-tops" (for their fluffy white crest). Their breast feathers are rimmed with black and give their plumage a scaled effect.
Photo by Tim Avery, 2004.
