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King QuailAlternate name(s): "Blue-breasted Quail", "Asian Blue Quail", "Chines Painted Quail", "Chinese Quail", "Chestnut-bellied Quail", "Least Quail", "Dwarf Quail", "Swamp Quail*" Size: 13-15 cm Weight: 29-48 g |
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Similar |
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See King
Quail at Wikipedia ![]() |
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Photos |
Race "australis"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
Near-dorsal view of a male King Quail in flight
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Postman's Track, Lake Samsonvale, QLD, November 2019]
More distant near-dorsal view of a male King Quail in flight
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gold Scrub Lane, Lake Samsonvale, QLD, November 2020]
Dead young male King Quail (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, March 2019]
Dead young male King Quail (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Sandy Camp Wetlands, Lytton, QLD, March 2019]
Frontal view of a male King Quail, probably race "chinensis",
in captivity (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
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FEMALE |
Frontal view of a female King Quail, probably race "chinensis",
in captivity (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Jan - Dec | Eggs: 4 - 10 | Incubation period: 18 - 20 days | Fledging age: ? |
The breeding season of King Quails depends on geographic latitude. While they can, in principle breed any time of year, their core breeding periods are September to March in the south-eastern part of the continent and February to May in the North.
Quail vs. Button-quail
Although the two genera of the true quails, Coturnix, and the button-quails, Turnix, are outwardly very similar, and therefore often listed together, there are significant differences between them (which is the reason why they are in different family groups here).
Genus | Coturnix | Turnix |
---|---|---|
Common name | True quails | Button-quails |
Similar species | Chicken-like | Wader-like |
Toes | 4 toes, one of which points backward | 3 toes, all of which point forward |
Nesting habits | Communal | Non-communal |
Main incubator | Female | Male |
Incubation period | ca. 21 days | ca. 14 days |
No. of eggs | 8-12 | ≤ 4 |
Nest building: ? | Incubation: Female & male | Dependent care: Female & male |
King Quail chicks are precocial, i.e. they leave the nest very shortly after hatchling and will feed themselves, under the supervision of their parents.
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Basket | Material: Dry grass | Height above ground: N/A |
The nest is either on the ground beside a grass tussock or in a grass tussock.
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 20 x 15 mm | Colour: Creamy, with light-brown speckles | Shape: Tapered oval |
Two King Quail eggs in a communal nest
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
kquail_me_20191211_2.m4a |
australis (SE QLD) |
Contact calls | © ME | |
kquail_me_20191211.m4a |
australis (SE QLD) |
Contact calls (Q&A) | © ME | |
kquail_me_20191214.m4a |
australis (SE QLD) |
Various (Q&A?), (+ Golden-headed Cisticola) | © ME |
More King Quail sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.