Quail (original) (raw)

Quail is a collective name for several genera of small birds in the Pheasant family Phasianidae.

This article deals with the Old World quail species. The New World quails are not closely related, but are named for their similar appearance and behaviour.

The Old World buttonquails are also in a different family Turnicidae, and are completey unrelated to the true quails.

The quails are small plump terrestrial birds. They are seed eaters, but will also take insects and similar small prey. They nest on the ground.

Wild quail were once a popular game bird. The eggs of the quail are considered a delicacy, and are sometimes used raw in sushi. The Common Quail was previously much favoured in French cooking, but quail for the table are now more likely to be domesticated Japanese Quail.

The quail species are:

Genus Coturnix

• Japanese Quail, Coturnix japonica
• Common Quail, Coturnix coturnix
• Harlequin Quail, Coturnix delegorguei
• Rain Quail, Coturnix coromandelica
• Stubble Quail, Coturnix pectoralis
• Brown Quail, Coturnix ypsilophora
• Asian Blue Quail or Chinese Painted Quail, Coturnix chinensis
• African Blue Quail, Coturnix adansonii

Genus Anurophasis

• Snow Mountain Quail, Anurophasis monorthonyx

Genus Perdicula, the bush-quails

• Jungle Bush-Quail, Perdicula asiatica
• Rock Bush-Quail, Perdicula argoondah
• Painted Bush-Quail, Perdicula erythrorhyncha
• Manipur Bush-Quail, Perdicula manipurensis

Genus Ophrysia

• Himalayan Quail, Ophrysia superciliosa