Birds · Galliformes · Phasianidae

Japanese Quail

Coturnix japonica

Near Threatened

It could become endangered in the near future if current threats go unchecked. See full glossary

The Japanese quail is a small bird of the grasslands of East Asia and, in its domestic form, one of the most important laboratory and farm animals in the world. It was domesticated in Japan in the twelfth century, first as a songbird and from the twentieth century for its eggs and meat. Its extremely fast life cycle has made it a standard model in embryology, genetics and developmental biology.

Weight

90 g – 300 g

Size

17 cm – 20 cm

Lifespan

5 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Family group

Lives in small family groups with close bonds.

Sighting difficulty

Moderate

FreshwaterGrasslandOmnivore Diurnal Family group Near Threatened Bird Freshwater Grassland

8countries21same family

Fun facts

GeneralIt is farmed in vast numbers for its eggs, and was the first bird to breed in space.
It is one of the classic model organisms of developmental biology: its embryo is studied through a window cut in the shell, and the experiments transplanting tissue between quail and chicken embryos were decisive in understanding how organs form.
It was the first bird to reproduce in space: Japanese quail eggs hatched aboard the Mir space station in 1990.
It reaches sexual maturity at six weeks and lays almost daily, a cycle so fast that several generations can be studied in a year.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Damp meadows, crops and rough grassland of East Asia; farms worldwide in its domestic form
Birth weight: Precocial: born covered in down and leaves the nest within a few hours
Size at birth: Precocial: born covered in down and leaves the nest within a few hours
Sexual maturity: 2.1 months
Gestation / incubation: 17 days
Litter / clutch size: 8 eggs