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1

Stubble Quail

(Coturnix pectoralis)
Aboriginal name(s): "baraberi" (WA)
Size: 17-20 cm
Weight: 85-125 g

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Stubble Quail at Wikipedia .

Click here for classification information

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

ADULT

MALE

Near-frontal view of a male Stubble Quail, left, with an immature male on the right (photo courtesy of M. Roderick)
[Cattle Lane, near Willowtree, NSW, February 2023]

Two male Stubble Quails, left and centre, with an immature male on the right (photo courtesy of M. Roderick)
[Cattle Lane, near Willowtree, NSW, February 2023]

Lateral view of two male Stubble Quails - one has a prominent black chest patch, the other doesn't - but the other has the typical dark fringe around the rufous cheeks/throat, which the former lacks (photo courtesy of M. Roderick)
[Cattle Lane, near Willowtree, NSW, February 2023]

Near-dorsal view of a male Stubble Quail (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2014]

Near-dorsal view of a male Stubble Quail (photo courtesy of M. Roderick)
[Cattle Lane, near Willowtree, NSW, February 2023]

Dorsal view of a male Stubble Quail (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Samsonvale, QLD, December 2019]

FEMALE

Near-frontal view of a female Stubble Quail - note the absence of black chest patch and rufous cheeks (photo courtesy of M. Roderick)
[Cattle Lane, near Willowtree, NSW, February 2023]

Near-lateral view of a female Stubble Quail (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Oolambeyan NP, NSW, October 2012]

Lateral view of a female Stubble Quail (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Oolambeyan NP, NSW, October 2012]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-frontal view of a male Stubble Quail, left, with an immature male on the right (photo courtesy of M. Roderick)
[Cattle Lane, near Willowtree, NSW, February 2023]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Stubble Quail (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Buchan Ensay Road, Ensay East, East Gippsland, VIC, December 2014]

Male Stubble Quail looking at the photographer; the chick is just a few days old (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2014]

Dad Stubble Quail was accidentally disturbed in the process of hay-making while underway with at least four chicks
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2014]

Here one Stubble Quail chick appears to be climbing onto dad's back (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, November 2014]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial? Mobility: Dispersive Elementary unit: Pair?

As opposed to, e.g., Brown Quails, we usually observe Stubble Quails on their own or in pairs.

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.

stquail_20210102.m4a (NW NSW) Contact call (male) © MD
stquail_20211116.m4a (NW NSW) Contact call (male) © MD
quails_20210102.m4a (NW NSW) Contact call (male)
(+ Brown Quail)
© MD
stquail_20210102_2.m4a (NW NSW) Contact calls males (Q&A) © MD
stquail_20230212.mp3 (NW NSW) Contact calls males (Q&A) © MD
stquail_20230212_2.mp3 (NW NSW) Contact calls males (Q&A) © MD
stquail_20230212_3.mp3 (NW NSW) Contact calls males (Q&A) © MD

More Stubble Quail sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site?
If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.