Domesticated Quail

Quail are small fowl that in the wild live and nest on the ground. Thousands of years of breeding and domesticating has made the quail into what it is now. The purpose of the common quail is for the consumption of meat or egg, though they can be kept as a pet to provide company too. Domesticated quail are commonly kept in long, wire cages and are fed game-bird feed. The most common breed that is domesticated from today is the Coturnix quail (also known as the Japanese quail).

Types of Breeds and Feather Colourings

Coturnix (Japanese) quail are kept for the consumption of their meat and egg supply due to their large size meaning larger eggs and quantity of meat. Button quail (also known as King Quail, Chinese-Painted Quail and Blue-Breasted quail) are rarely kept for the consumption of meat and egg due to the small sizes of their bodies and eggs. Rather, they are commonly kept in large aviaries to clean the leftover seed that falls to the floor. California, Gambel, Bobwhite, Scaled quail etc are less common and are rarely kept as pets.

Quail Breeds:

Coturnix or Japanese quail.
Button, King, Chinese-Painted or Blue-Breasted quail.
(Northern) Bobwhite quail.
Gambel's quail.
Mearn's quail.
Mountain quail.
Scaled quail.
California (Valley) quail.

Both Button and Coturnix quail have different feather colouring due to years of breeding. The common Coturnix quail colour is the Pharaoh breed, which is a brown feather colour. This colour is also the wild version of the Coturnix quail. The Button quail's common colouring is the red breast, blue body, black and white head, and the brown back all in one (only present in males; females are a brown colour all over).

Coturnix (Japanese) quail feather colouring:

Pharaoh - Rusty brown presented underbelly and an original brown colour on the head and upperbody.
English White - White all over in both males and females.
Manchurian Golden - Light rusty colour all over with a pattern. Males have a darker rusty colour presented on the head whilst females are lighter in colour.
Italian - Beige colour with striated markings, males are presented with brown faces.
Tibetan (Dark British Range) - A dark chocolate colour all over with a spot of white under the beaks.
Rosetta (British Range) - a red-brown chocolate colour all over.
Silver - A light grey colour all over.
Tuxedo - A white and brown mix.
Cinnamon (Red Range) - A light brown colour all over.
Scarlett (Red Golden) - A red-brown colour all over.
Roux - A lighter colour of the Pharaoh (wild) version.
Golden Tuxedo - White feathers all over with blonde feathers presented.

Other colours seen may be mutations.

Button quail feather colouring:

Wild (Common) Feather Colour - Red breast, blue body, black and white face, and a brown back. Females are brown all over.
Silver - Another common feather colouring. Both females and males are a light grey in colour. Males are presented with a black and white face.
White - A plain white colour all over in both males and females.
Red Breasted - Large colour of red presented on the underbelly. Much alike the wild feather colouring.
Blue Faced - Blue underbelly and dark brown back in males and a dark brown all over in females.
Cinnamon - A light brown colour.
Golden Pearl - Females are a lighter brown.
Tuxedo Pied - A white and brown colour mix.

Other colours seen may be mutations.

References