Wantagh Elementary School students recently welcomed baby northern bobwhite quails. The citizen scientist project was through the Quails in the Classroom program hosted by the Long Island-based Center for Environmental Education and Discovery. 

The quail eggs were incubated in Kailtin Humphrey’s STEAM classroom, and then transferred to the brooder after hatching. After a few weeks in the classroom, the quails were returned to CEED on May 30. The animals will eventually be released into the wild to eat ticks. 

Students from pre-K to fifth grade made observations throughout the process, and learned about animal communication, heredity and life cycles.