quail
Any of several genera of small ground-dwelling birds of the family Phasianidae, which also includes grouse, pheasants, bobwhites, and prairie chickens. Species are found in Africa, India, Australia, North America, and Europe.
Species
The
common or
European quail Coturnix coturnix is about 18 cm/7 in long, reddish-brown, with a white throat with a black patch at the bottom, and a yellowish belly. It is found in Europe, Asia, and Africa, and has been introduced to North America. The nest is a small hollow in the ground, and in it are laid about ten yellowish-white eggs blotched with brown. The bird feeds upon grain seeds and insects.
| Other species of the genus Coturnix are found in Africa, India and Australia. These include the painted quail, Coturnix chinensis, of Australasia. This is the smallest gamebird and closely related to Coturnix adamsoni of Africa. The painted quail has a grey-blue breast, red underparts, black and white throat markings and brown streaked upperparts. The female is mainly brown. |
| There are two small species of the Indian bush-quail genus Perdicula. These are the jungle bush-quails P. asiatica, and the painted bush-quail Perdicula erythrorhynca. These are, however, related to the partridges not the true quails. |
| The bobwhite Colinus virginianis, belongs to the New World quails with a hooked tip to the bill. |
| The California quail Callipepla californiensis is one of five species of quail native to North America. |
quail
