Stubble quail
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Coturnix pectoralis
Weight
99-128
3.5-4.5
goz
g oz 
Length
18
7
cminch
cm inch 

The stubble quail (Coturnix pectoralis ) is a native Australian species which is the most common quail species in Australia. The species is not under any threat of extinction (IUCN Least Concern). Stubble quail are widespread and found throughout all states and territories of Australia excluding Tasmania. Other common names include the grey quail and the pectoral quail.

Gr

Granivore

He

Herbivore

No

Nomadic

Te

Terrestrial

So

Social

No

Not a migrant

S

starts with

Appearance

The stubble quail is a ground dwelling bird that is characterised by its dark brown feathers with a cream coloured strip down the centre of each feather giving rise to stripes down the length of the bird. It is a plump species that is larger than other native quails. Male birds will mature at about 18.0–18.5 cm long and females are generally slightly larger. Adult males weigh around 100g and the females around 110g with all birds having a wingspan of between 25–33 cm. The stubble quail can also be identified by the loud whirring noise made by their wings during take-off into flight once disturbed from on the ground.

Distribution

Geography

Countries
Biogeographical realms

Stubble quail are found in a diverse range of habitats from very dry parts of Australia to alpine grasslands. Stubble quail are more common in the high rainfall areas of southeastern and western Australia though are often found in the arid zone after above average rainfall. The species was found in all Australian states including Tasmania up until the 1940s to 1960s when they became extinct in Tasmania. On the mainland stubble quail are found in a variety of biomes but tend to avoid wooded areas as the canopy obstructs the growth of thick grassy undergrowth that they prefer. The quail prefer a habitat of tall grassland made up of native grass species, introduced species or crops. The density of the ground cover is highly important for Stubble quail habitat as the birds prefer very dense vegetation. A high density of kangaroos and rabbits (or any grazing animal) in an area can decrease the height and density of grassland vegetation and make the habitat unsuitable for stubble quail. The birds are frequently found in agricultural areas after the harvest of cereal crops where they feed on grain and insects.

Stubble quail habitat map

Climate zones

Stubble quail habitat map
Stubble quail
Public Domain Dedication (CC0)

Habits and Lifestyle

Seasonal behavior
Bird's call

Diet and Nutrition

Mating Habits

In Victoria the quail breed between August and December but breeding season can vary due to environmental conditions. Breeding pairs may stay together for all year and if a pair is separated when flushed, they will call to each other in order to locate each other. The female stubble quail lays about seven or eight yellow eggs which are incubated solely by her for 18 days. Often Stubble Quail nest in crops that are about to be harvested so their nests get destroyed. Both parents guard the chicks until they are almost full sized birds but once the chicks reach six weeks and have a full plume of feathers, their parents remove the chicks from their own breeding grounds. Males call at dawn and dusk as a territorial display.

Population

Population threats

Foxes and cats are their biggest predators, especially when nesting. Humans also reduce the numbers of stubble quail as they can legally be hunted in some parts of Australia, however there are strict regulations in place to ensure that they are not hunted at times when the population is weak such as breeding, moulting and environmental stress.

References

1. Stubble quail Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stubble_quail
2. Stubble quail on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22678952/92795607
3. Xeno-canto bird call - https://xeno-canto.org/688920

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