Common Quail

Coturnix coturnix

Most often seen as a brief flash of whirring wings as they burst from the undergrowth, the Quail is a shy and elusive game bird of grassy habitats.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

The Common Quail is a small, plump gamebird with a round body and short tail. Its plumage is primarily brown and buff, with intricate black and white markings. The male features a distinctive black anchor-shaped throat patch.

Females are similar but lack the bold throat marking and have more heavily streaked breasts; they're also generally heavier and have slightly longer tails. Both sexes have a pale stripe above the eye and dark crown stripes.

Chicks start life with fluffy yellow downy feathers, and their heads and upperparts have dark striping. Juveniles resemble adult females but have barred flanks.

Size

Length

16cm to 18cm

Wingspan

32cm to 35cm

Weight

70g to 140g

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

Brown Buff

Secondary Colour

White Black

Beak Colour

Grey

Leg Colour

Pink

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Common Quail is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Common Quail is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Common Quail is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Common Quail is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Common Quail is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Common Quail can be found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Common Quail can be found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Common Quail is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Common Quail is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Common Quail is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Common Quail is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Common Quail is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Common Quails inhabit open grasslands, agricultural fields, and meadows across Europe, Asia, and North Africa. They prefer areas with tall grasses or crops that provide cover.

As long-distance migrants, they breed in Europe and western Asia and winter in Africa and southern Asia. In the UK, they are summer visitors, arriving in May and departing by September.

Elevation Range

Up to 1,000 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Mediterranean, Subtropical

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Common Quail. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons