Quail
| Quail | |
|---|---|
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| Brown quail, Coturnix ypsilophora | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
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| Order: | |
| Family: | Horsfield, 1821
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Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds in the pheasant family Phasianidae. New World quails (family Odontophoridae) and buttonquails (family Turnicidae) are not closely related, but are named for their similar appearance.[1] The collective noun for a group of quail is bevy or covey.[2]
Taxonomy
Quail may refer to the following species of Phasianidae.
- Genus Coturnix
- Common Quail, Coturnix coturnix
- Japanese Quail, Coturnix japonica
- Stubble Quail, Coturnix pectoralis
- New Zealand Quail, Coturnix novaezelandiae (extinct)
- Rain Quail, Coturnix coromandelica
- Harlequin Quail, Coturnix delegorguei
- Brown Quail, Coturnix ypsilophora
- Blue Quail, Coturnix adansonii
- Asian Blue Quail, Coturnix chinensis
- Genus Anurophasis
- Snow Mountain Quail, Anurophasis monorthonyx
- Genus Perdicula
- 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 (critically endangered/extinct)
In the Odontophoridae family, the New World quail:
- Genus Callipepla
- Genus Colinus
- Genus Oreortyx
- Genus Cyrtonyx
Behaviour
Quails are small, plump terrestrial birds. They are seed eaters, but will also take insects and similar small prey. They nest on the ground and are capable of short, rapid bursts of flight. Some species, such as the Japanese and Common Quail, are migratory and fly for long distances.[3] [4] Some quail are farmed in large numbers. The Japanese (or coturnix) quail is kept mostly to produce eggs.
Migrating Common Quail are known to eat some poisonous seeds with no apparent ill effects but store the poison in their body fat, poisoning people who subsequently eat these birds; this condition is known as "coturnism".[5]
See also
References
- ^ http://www.avianweb.com/quailinfo.html
- ^ USGS - Animal Congregations, or What Do You Call a Group
- ^ "Coturnix japonica (Japanese quail)". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 2007-09-21.
- ^ "Coturnix coturnix (common quail)". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 2007-09-21.
- ^ Coturnism: Human Poisoning By European Migratory Quail Journal of Cultural Geography Volume 7, Issue 2, 1987, Pages 51 - 65 Authors: David C. Lewisa; Elizabeth Metallinos-Katzarasb; Louis E. Grivettic DOI: 10.1080/08873638709478507
External links
