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Common Quail
(Coturnix coturnix)
: "European Quail", "Quail"
German name(s): "Europäische Wachtel"
Size: 18-22 cm
Weight: 90-130 g
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Common Quails are small game birds. Their
plumage is highly
cryptic and
dimorphic, i.e.
males
and
females
are slightly different.
Most of the plumage
of the two sexes is alike, apart from a black streak down the
chin in
males
that bifurcates into a partial collar, and matching horizontal
black streak from the base of the bill towards the ear coverts.
Females,
instead, have a double brown semi-circular margin around the
cream-coloured head creating a facial mask.
Both sexes have a creamy front with sparse darker streaking and
the typical, dark brown/grey/creamy streaked upperparts of mostly
ground-dwelling birds.
The head has a brown, streaked cap with a thin central creamy
streak, while the sides of the head are also dominated by creamy
hues, dissected by darker eye-stripes.
The irises are brown. The short, down-curved bill is dark-grey
and the legs and feet are greyish-pink.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Common
Quail at Wikipedia .
Click here for classification information
Quail vs. Button-quail
Although the two genera of the true quails, Coturnix, and the
button-quails, Turnix (of which there are no representatives
in Europe)
are outwardly very similar, and therefore often listed together,
there are significant differences between them.
Genus
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Coturnix
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Button-quails, Turnix
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Common name
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True quails
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Turnix, Button-quails
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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 |
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Common Quail is available
HERE
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As opposed to other species of gamebird, Common Quails
are mostly migratory.
There are 4 extant races. Their overall range extends
from various island groups in the northern Atlantic,
via large parts of Africa (including Madagascar) and
Europe, into Asia Minor, the Middle East, Arabia and
large parts of Asia (as far eastwards as Mongolia) and
the Indian subcontinent.
In Europe only nominate race
"coturnix"
is present. There are some areas where Common Quails are sedentary,
namely (across from an also sedentary population on the North-west
coastal fringe) in parts of Iberia and along the Mediterranean
coastline, i.e., in parts of southern Iberia, on the Cote d'Azure
and in parts of Greece, including Crete.
Anywhere else up to ca. 55 degrees latitude, with the exception of
the high Alps, they are summer breeding migrants.
Common Quails preferably live in open grassland, often on plains,
but also meadows, preferably with clover, and on fields with
commercial crops.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "coturnix"
J. Pires
reports spotting a Common Quail, nominate race
"coturnix",
"pratincola", at Vilarelhos, Tras os Montes, Portugal, in May 2018.
All sighting and photographic information presented on this
page has kindly been contributed by J. Pires.
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Photos |
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Race "coturnix"
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ADULT |
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FEMALE |
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Near-frontal view of a female Common Quail; note the absence
of a black mark on the throat (photo courtesy of
J. Pires)
[Vilarelhos, Tras os Montes, Portugal, May 2018]
Lateral view of a female Common Quail
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vilarelhos, Tras os Montes, Portugal, May 2018]
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Food, Diet |
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Lateral view of a female Common Quail taking a grain
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vilarelhos, Tras os Montes, Portugal, May 2018]
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Call(s)/Song |
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For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own; are welcome.
More Common Quail sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
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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.