Common Quail

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The Common Quail, Coturnix coturnix, is from the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds.

Upon attaining an age of 6-8 weeks, this quail breeds on open arable farmland and grassland across most of Europe and Asia, laying 6-18 eggs in a ground nest. The eggs take from 16-18 days to hatch. It is a strongly migratory bird, unlike most of the gamebirds, and winters in Africa.

It is a small (17 cm) rotund bird, essentially streaked brown with a white eyestripe, and, in the male, a black chin. As befits its migratory nature, it has long wings, unlike most typically short-winged gamebirds.

This is a terrestrial species, feeding on seeds and insects on the ground. It is notoriously difficult to see, keeping hidden in crops, and reluctant to fly, preferring to creep away instead. Even when flushed, it keeps low and soon drops back into cover. Often the only indication of its presence is the distinctive "wet-my-lips" repetitive song of the male.

It is heavily hunted as game on passage through the Mediterranean area.

This species over recent years has seen an increase in its propagation in the United States and Europe, however most of this increase is with hobbyists.

Trivia

• Some cuckoo clocks do not only have a cuckoo indicating the hours, but also a quail indicating the quarters of the hour.

• Eggs of the Common Quail were flown onboard the Cosmos 1129 biosatellite.

Gallery

See also

References

• BirdLife International (2004). [Coturnix coturnix]. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 06 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern

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