Birds · Galliformes · Phasianidae

Common Quail

Coturnix coturnix

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It is the only truly migratory quail in Europe, making long annual flights between its European breeding grounds and its winter quarters in sub-Saharan Africa.

Weight

70 g – 155 g

Size

17.5 cm on average

Lifespan

2 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Crepuscular

Active above all at dawn and dusk.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

GrasslandOmnivore Crepuscular Solitary Bird Grassland

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Fun facts

It would rather hide in the crop than fly, though it flies perfectly well.
It eats weed seeds, spilt grain, and small insects and their larvae.
It lives in grassland and crops of cereal and clover in Europe, Turkey and Central Asia.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - pneumatised bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Grassland and crops of cereal and clover in Europe, Turkey and Central Asia, wintering in Africa and southern Asia
Birth weight: Weight at hatching not found as a precise figure
Size at birth: Born precocial, able to move soon after hatching
Sexual maturity: 1 year
Gestation / incubation: 17-20 days
Litter / clutch size: 6 to 13 eggs per clutch (more in some African populations)
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 11 years in captivity

Sources consulted: Dimensions.com; Birdfact; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); AnAge (Coturnix japonica comparison); A-Z Animals; EBSCO Research Starters; Animal Diversity Web; Heritage Acres Market; Backyard Quail

Where to find it

See its range on the interactive map

Best time: From April to August in cereal and alfalfa fields; it is a trans-Saharan migrant and is almost always detected by its three-note call rather than by sight.