Jungle Bush Quail

Overview

The jungle bush quail (Perdicula asiatica) is a small species of quail native to the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka. It is a terrestrial bird that inhabits dry areas with shrubby or rocky cover, ranging from thin grasslands to dense deciduous forests. The species is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN due to its large range and stable population.

Identification

• Size: A small quail measuring 15–18 cm in length and weighing between 57–82 g.
• Plumage: Males feature dull brown upperparts with buff streaking and blackish-brown blotches, while the underparts are whitish with narrow black barring; females have dull pinkish-brown underparts and less distinct barring.
• Markings: The face is mainly dark reddish-brown with a buffy-white moustachial stripe and a supercilium that turns whitish towards the back of the neck.
• Voice: The advertising call is a harsh, rhythmic chee-chee-chuck, chee-chee-chuck, which resembles the call of a black drongo in dispute.

Habitat

Found throughout peninsular India and Sri Lanka, the species occupies dry habitats with shrubby or rocky vegetation, including grasslands and deciduous forests. It generally resides at elevations up to 1,200 m, though it can reach 1,500 m in the Western Ghats and southern India. An introduced population exists on the island of Réunion, while populations on Mauritius are now extinct.

Diet

The jungle bush quail feeds on seeds from grasses, weeds, gram, and millets, as well as small insects such as termites and their larvae. Foraging typically occurs in small coveys of 6–25 birds, which walk along well-trodden paths and create tunnel-like tracks through tall grass.

Did you know?

When coveys are separated, the birds reassemble by using a low, whistling tiri-tiri-tiri or whi-whi-whi-whi-whi call to locate one another.