Oh that's awful Fluffy, I would be sick if someone stole one of my birds.How cute! Sort of the opposite happened to me. Had a very wild hen given to me by an acquaintance for brooding. Long story short, she broke two weeks later, and a week after that escaped my pen and my property
she got effing stolen the very next day, before I could catch her
You have no idea how they are being treated, or if they are even alive! 
I am not sure about species in the wild, not that they couldn't interbreed, but do they is the question. Mine mixed but mine being pen/hand raised are different, further away from their wild instincts. On this note, they definitely won't cross breed....Bobwhite to Coturnix, Gambels to California Quail for example. Very different species.
Oh how sweet! I am glad you were able to catch her and give her a good home! She was probably someone's escaped bird? Did you ever have escapees? I did.That’s really special for you to see them in the wild. How fortunate.I wish I saw that around here. I’ve heard that there are some wild populations still in southern Ohio, but Ive never heard of any in the northeast. I have a sort-of wild story… some years back, a female Bobwhite showed up near my Bobwhite building. I got out the recall pen, placed a male into it, and caught her a short while later. Well, I thought that she was an escapee from my own flock, so I counted mine (twice), and they were all there. I kept her.
I kept mine in flight aviaries and they became powerful fliers! I never lost any of them, fortunately they were smart enough to follow the sounds of all the crowing home. Most never went far once they realized they were on the outside of the aviary. One of my males flew straight out the door and did a huge lap of the valley, I was sure he was gone as I helplessly watched him fly out of sight. 30 mins later I heard him calling up the hill, he kept calling, I called his name, he walked toward me, I to him. Eventually I was able to grab him and get him home. I gave him a good scolding on the walk back though! 
I’m so glad you found him safe! That must’ve taken your breath away!! I had a male Gambels do that to me. I’d open the aviary door and out he went! He’d perch on top of one of the buildings, because he knew I couldn’t get him there. Smart little bird. I had to start clipping his wings. I was just too worried a hawk, etc, would get him. He came back every time he heard his mate calling for him. Then I’d open the door, and in he went. He was ornery but so adorable.Oh how sweet! I am glad you were able to catch her and give her a good home! She was probably someone's escaped bird? Did you ever have escapees? I did.
On occasion, one of the Bobwhites would get out when I opened the door… mainly from being startled. I kept the recall pen in a spot not far from the aviary. So, I’d just scoop up a quail and place it inside. It was never long before the calls would bring the escapee right into the recall pen. I’ve been so fortunate to not lose any out there. Over the years, I certainly got more watchful with entering their areas. 
Oh gosh, isn't it scary when they escape?! Very stressful! I too had to become more careful with the quail, I eventually hung a curtain at the door on the inside, I would open the door from the outside behind the curtain, shut it and come through the curtain. It was all I could think of to stop the escapees!I’m so glad you found him safe! That must’ve taken your breath away!! I had a male Gambels do that to me. I’d open the aviary door and out he went! He’d perch on top of one of the buildings, because he knew I couldn’t get him there. Smart little bird. I had to start clipping his wings. I was just too worried a hawk, etc, would get him. He came back every time he heard his mate calling for him. Then I’d open the door, and in he went. He was ornery but so adorable.
Yesssssss, it can be stressful! We love our birds.Oh gosh, isn't it scary when they escape?! Very stressful! I too had to become more careful with the quail, I eventually hung a curtain at the door on the inside, I would open the door from the outside behind the curtain, shut it and come through the curtain. It was all I could think of to stop the escapees!
That is such a clever idea! I’ve been raising birds for so many years (chickens, quail, turkeys, pheasants, exotics), but I’m always so grateful for the new things I learn from friends. I have a peach-fronted female conure, Stafford. She does lots with me including riding the atv, utv, tractors. She listens very well and enjoys doing chores with me. One time (and I admit I missed a regular wing trim), she was in the garden with me. Suddenly, she decided to go for a quick little flight. That normally meant she would flap her wings and flutter down into the grass. Well, she did the usual, BUT she then took flight (to her surprise) and landed several hundred yards down into one of the hayfields. Then she proceeded to scream at the top of her lungs. I didn’t know I could could run so fast that day! When I got to her, she was completely camouflaged into the grass. Thank goodness a hawk couldn’t spot her before I got there!
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I’m sorry you didn’t get her back Fluffy.That must’ve been very difficult to know that someone stole her. I would’ve been heartbroken if that happened to me. This part’s to cheer you up about that… I was telling @Debbie292d about my male turkeys being stolen away. Well, it was a bunch of wild turkey hens doing all of the stealing! I actually had to track them down in the forest and bring them home!
I had to keep them in a large run after that.
Oh that's awful Fluffy, I would be sick if someone stole one of my birds.
