It is separated from the similar Gambel’s quail by its speckled belly. The female is duller and has a smaller crest but also has a speckled belly. It breeds in brushy areas and chaparral and is fairly common in some suburban neighborhoods, where it can be a regular visitor to feeders.
The typical call is a ringing Chi-ca-GO, which can be heard for as much as a mile. Family groups in the back yard are frequently heard giving a variety of soft clucking noises.
Doesn’t sound like what I saw, recently, but it sure looks like it.