quail

Quail Facts

Quails are known for their plumage and distinctive calls.

Quails are plump, short-necked game birds whose natural range includes large areas of North America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa. They also inhabit South America and Australia to a lesser extent. Some species have been domesticated and raised on farms for their meat and eggs. Otherwise, wild quail are popular with hunters as game birds.

Quail birds spend most of their time on the ground, as their stocky bodies often make it difficult for them to fly long distances. Birders can easily identify any species by the head feathers, which are a collection of small feathers.

5 fun facts :

• Quail move surprisingly fast through the bush, reaching speeds of up to 12 miles per hour when frightened.
• The short flights these birds make when frightened are called "flushes."
• Adult quail birds like to dig two to three inches deep in loose soil, then wriggle around and flap their wings for a sand bath.
• Although they vary widely in size, quails belong to the same family as pheasants.
• Quail birds are easily identified by their vocalizations, which often sound like human words, such as "Chicago" or "Bob White," which takes its name from a species of quail in the southeastern United States.

Ready to learn more interesting facts about quail? Read "10 Unbelievable Quail Facts."

scientific name and history

Quail scientific name Coturnix coturnix , meaning quail or female title. Coturnix The coturnix refers to the Old World quail, and there are five subspecies.

The New World quail is a member of the genus Callipepla and is sometimes called the crested quail. One of the most common species of New World quail is the California quail ( Callipepla californica ), which has five subspecies. Bobwhites, also known as New World quail, are members of the genus Colinus, of which Colinus virginianus , the Virginia woodcock, often called the northern woodcock, is the most widespread.

The common ancestor of quail and chicken dates back 22.2 million years ago. Quail have been farmed domestically for over 4,000 years. They were so important as a source of protein for ancient Egyptian laborers that they valued their own hieroglyphic symbols! Additionally, quails have been in China for centuries, and the Chinese quail may be the ancestor of many modern breeds.

appearance and behavior

A quail is a small bird, usually larger than a robin but smaller than a crow, although you'll find a lot of variation between the species. Some are only four inches tall, but they can reach a height of 11 or 12 inches.

They have small heads and short, broad wings and long, square tails. In California quail, both males and females have a single forward-protruding plumage, with males having longer, larger, darker feathers consisting of several feathers. While this topknot is the hallmark of the quail, not all species have it.

The color and arrangement of the underbelly feathers result in a scaly appearance. Some species also have spots on the upper breast. Many quail have typical seed-eating beaks, meaning they are serrated, short and stocky, and slightly recurved.

Japanese quail are the most popular birds in captivity. They are raised for meat and eggs, and they are territorial, often defending their homes from intruders. If their environment is overcrowded, they will sometimes resort to pecking or cannibalism.

Habitat

In California and the Northwest, quail inhabit scrub, sagebrush, woodland, and foothill forests. In the American Southwest and Mexico, they tend to live in semi-arid and scrublands. They are very tolerant of people and can be seen in some urban parks, gardens and agricultural areas.

quail diet

These birds are omnivores, but they tend to be mostly vegetarian. Chicks love to eat insects, but as they mature, their diet gradually shifts to plant material. They eat seeds, leaves, wheat, barley, flowers and fruit, and occasionally grasshoppers and worms. Some species, such as quail, readily adjust their diets based on time of year and hydration needs. These quail birds will eat prickly pear fruit and berries if available.

Predators and Threats

Reproduction, Babies and Longevity

In captivity, quail birds are easy to grow. Although common poultry diseases can affect them, they are somewhat resistant. The most popular domesticated species, the Japanese quail, matures about six weeks after hatching. If cared for properly, they can start breeding when they are 50 to 60 days old. Hens lay an average of 200 eggs in their first year.

The birds live two and a half years in captivity. Combining one male with three females produces high fertility. Eggs take an average of 23 days to hatch. The newly hatched quail chicks are so small that the tank must be filled with pebbles or marbles to keep them from falling into the water, in case of drowning. The pebbles can be removed when the chicks are a week old.

population

There are about 130 species of quail in the world, so the IUCN considers their conservation status to be the least important. Of these species, about 70 were domesticated.

However, in the 1990s, the California quail was considered an endangered species as their numbers dropped below 100 individuals. Their numbers have rebounded and are no longer considered at risk of extinction.

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