Quail

Quail facts at a glance

How big is a quail?

An adult quail measures 18 cm long — about 10% of the height of an average adult person (1.73 m) — and weighs around 100 g, a small fraction of an average adult’s body weight (70 kg).

What is a group of quails called?

Explore more animal collective nouns and baby animal names .

Small, round, and hidden

Quails are small, rounded birds that spend most of their lives on the ground, relying on streaky brown plumage to vanish into grass and crops. They prefer to run or crouch rather than fly, and when flushed they burst into a fast, low, whirring flight before dropping back into cover.

Calls and breeding

The common quail is heard far more often than seen. Males give a distinctive repeated three-note call to attract mates across fields of tall grass. Females nest in a simple scrape on the ground and can lay large clutches, with chicks able to walk and feed soon after hatching.

Migration and diet

Unusually for such a small game bird, the common quail is a long-distance migrant, traveling between Europe and Asia and wintering in Africa and southern Asia. Quails are omnivores that eat seeds, grain, and insects, foraging by scratching and pecking at the ground.

Quails and people

Quails have been kept and hunted by people for thousands of years, and domesticated quail are raised worldwide for eggs and meat. Wild common quail remain widespread and are listed as Least Concern, though changes in farming affect their numbers.

Did you know? Quail facts

• A quail is a small, plump ground-dwelling bird with mottled brown camouflage plumage, found in grasslands and farmland worldwide.
• A quail is a small, plump ground bird with short legs and mottled brown plumage that provides excellent camouflage in grass and crops.
• Yes, but quails prefer to run and hide. When startled they make a fast, low, whirring flight over a short distance before dropping back into cover.
• Quails are omnivores that feed on seeds, grain, and insects, foraging on the ground by pecking and scratching.
• Quails live in grasslands, meadows, and farmland. The common quail breeds across Europe and Asia and migrates to Africa and southern Asia for winter.
• Conservation: Least Concern (IUCN).

Diet & feeding

Quail feeds primarily as a omnivore (seeds and insects). The common quail is heard far more often than seen. Males give a distinctive repeated three-note call to attract mates across fields of tall grass. Females nest in a simple scrape on the ground and can lay large clutches, with chicks able to walk and feed soon af

Adaptations

• Quails are small, rounded birds that spend most of their lives on the ground, relying on streaky brown plumage to vanish into grass and crops. They prefer to run or crouch rather than fly, and when flushed they burst into a fast, low, whirring flight before dropping back into cover.
• The common quail is heard far more often than seen. Males give a distinctive repeated three-note call to attract mates across fields of tall grass. Females nest in a simple scrape on the ground and can lay large clutches, with chicks able to walk and feed soon after hatching.

Behaviour & ecology

• Quails are small, rounded birds that spend most of their lives on the ground, relying on streaky brown plumage to vanish into grass and crops. They prefer to run or crouch rather than fly, and when flushed they burst into a fast, low, whirring flight before dropping back into cover.
• The common quail is heard far more often than seen. Males give a distinctive repeated three-note call to attract mates across fields of tall grass. Females nest in a simple scrape on the ground and can lay large clutches, with chicks able to walk and feed soon after hatching.
• Unusually for such a small game bird, the common quail is a long-distance migrant, traveling between Europe and Asia and wintering in Africa and southern Asia. Quails are omnivores that eat seeds, grain, and insects, foraging by scratching and pecking at the ground.

Communication

• Quail uses calls and visual displays to communicate territory, alarm, and breeding status.
• Vocal repertoires vary by species and are often learned or refined during development.

Habitat & range

Grassland, meadows, and farmland

Ecological role

Quail contributes to seed dispersal, insect control, or nutrient cycling depending on diet and foraging habits.

Conservation status of the Quail

Sources & references

This guide is compiled and reviewed against established zoological and conservation references. Key sources for the Quail:

• IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

  Conservation status (Least Concern) reflects the IUCN Red List category for Coturnix coturnix.

• iNaturalist — observations & photos

  Search citizen-science observations and community IDs for Coturnix coturnix. Useful for range checks and recent sightings — not a substitute for formal Red List status.

• GBIF — occurrence data

  Global Biodiversity Information Facility species search for Coturnix coturnix. Explore published occurrence records used in range research.

• eBird — bird observations

  Cornell Lab eBird target search for Quail. Check recent checklists and seasonal abundance where birders report this species.

• IUCN Red List — Coturnix coturnix.

  Conservation status (Least Concern) and population trends.

• Animal Diversity Web — Coturnix coturnix. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.

  Life history, morphology, and range.

• Wikipedia — Quail.

  General taxonomy and overview (cross-check primary sources).

• Global Animal Guide editorial standards

  How we research, source, review, and update every guide for accuracy.