Facts and Features of Forest Quail

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Galliformes

Family: Phasianidae

Genre: Coturnix

Scientific Name: Coturnix Coturnix

Type: Bird

Diet: Omnivorous

Size (H): 11cm - 20cm (4.5in - 7.8in)

Wing Spread: 30cm - 37cm (12 inches - 14.6in)

Weight: 70 g - 140 g (2.4 oz - 4.9 oz)

Maximum speed: 24 km/h (15 mph)

Duration of the life: 3-5 years

Lifestyle: Solitary

Conservation Status: Less Concern

Color: Brown, Black, White, Blue

Skin architecture: Feathers

Favorite food: Seeds

Habitat:Woodland and forests

Average clutch size: 6

Main Food: Seeds, flowers, insects

Attackers: Los cats Serpientes, raccoons

Special features: small body  and bright colors of eggs

The quail is a small bird that lives in forests and woodland all over the world. There are believed to be more than 15 different species of quail and each species are found in different parts of the earth.They all have slight distinguishing appearances depending on how they have adapted to their surroundings.

Although it is a very small sized bird,quail belongs to the same birds family like pheasants.Quail vary in size depending on the species of the Japanese quail , which is about 10 cm tall to the largest mountain quail that can increase up to 25 cm tall.

Quail are generally solitary birds and spend most of their time either alone or as a couple with one another quail.During the mating season a large flocks of quail as family groups convoy in groups of up to 100 individual quails.The quail do not tend to migrate and therefore spend their whole life in the same surroundings.

In some parts of the world ,quails are kept as poultry ,for the small amount of meat and brightly coloured eggs.These tiny colored eggs are considered a delicacy in some parts of the world and can often be found on the menus of  restaurants.

When quail reach 2 months of age ,they are able to mate. Quail tend to breed in open areas,such as agricultural land and lay their eggs in the nests .Quail clutches can vary between 1-12 eggs ,depending on species and baby quail chicks comes out of eggs in less than a month .

Although quail are omnivorous animals ,they tend to have generally vegetarian diet eating seeds ,wheat ,barley ,flowers and fruit ,but also eat insects like worms and grasshoppers. About 93% of the quail diet is  of plant material.

The quail has many natural predators due to its small size.Snakes,raccoons ,foxes ,squirrels ,coyotes ,bobcats,skunks,dogs,cats, hawks,owls,rats and weasels are known to hunt quail or their eggs. Human society is also predator of the quail , but tend to eat those that have been bred commercially.