Common Quail

Overview

The common quail, Coturnix coturnix, also known as the European quail, is a small ground-nesting game bird within the pheasant family. It is a strongly migratory species that primarily breeds in the Palearctic and winters in Africa and southern India.

Identification

• A small, compact bird measuring 16–18 cm in length with a wingspan of 32–35 cm and a weight of 70–140 g.
• Plumage is streaked brown with a distinct white eyestripe, and males possess a white chin.
• Possesses long wings, a feature adapted for its migratory nature, unlike the short wings of typical gamebirds.
• Characteristic call consists of three repeated chirps uttered in quick succession, often described as "wet-my-lips," and is usually heard in the mornings, evenings, or at night.

Habitat

This terrestrial species is widespread in Europe and North Africa, favouring environments where it can remain hidden in crops. It is noted for being notoriously difficult to see, as it prefers to creep away into cover rather than fly when disturbed, and even when flushed, it keeps low before dropping back down.

Diet

The common quail feeds on the ground on seeds, including weed seeds and cereal gleanings, as well as insects such as beetles, true bugs, ants, earwigs, and orthopterans, along with their larvae.

Did you know?

Consuming meat from quails that have ingested certain plants can cause a rare condition called coturnism, which results in muscle soreness and may lead to kidney failure. In 1537, Queen Jane Seymour developed an insatiable craving for quail while pregnant, prompting courtiers and diplomats abroad to be ordered to find sufficient supplies for her.