Page 154 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

GAMEBIRDS
Order Galliformes Family Phasianidae Species Coturnix coturnix
Quail striped crown

small
striped head bold cream bill
stripes on
brown back black on
throat
pale
throat
small,
dark, rotund
pointed body
tail narrow, long,
MALE dark wings
FEMALE
IN FLIGHT dark stripes
on flanks
his is a bird that is heard but
Trarely seen: it seldom flies and,
living as it does in long grass or
cereals, it is almost impossible to see
on the ground unless it ventures onto
an open track. Migrants occasionally
appear in more exposed places and can then be MALE
watched more easily, although they remain secretive and
skulking.When Quails do fly, they look unexpectedly long-winged,
and may be confused with other species, such as young Partridges FLIGHT: low, quite quick; fast wingbeats and short
which can fly well before they are full grown. Quails usually fly in a glides, almost Snipe-like but drops quickly into cover.
short, fast, low arc before dropping down out of sight,
and are unlikely to be flushed a second time.They are
generally much more common and widespread in
warmer, southern parts of Europe than farther north,
but have declined in numbers in the face of
modernized agriculture even there, and future
prospects are not very bright.
VOICE Unique loud, far-carrying song, full, liquid,
rhythmic quick-we-wik; also quiet mewing notes.
NESTING Slight hollow lined with vegetation and
well hidden in crops or grass; up to 12 eggs; 1 brood;
May–June.
FEEDING Walks slowly forwards, picking up seeds EXPOSED MIGRANT
and shoots and snatching small insects from ground Migrants occasionally rest in fields with sparse crops and can sometimes
or foliage. be seen in the open.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Widespread north to Baltic, but
GREY PARTRIDGE erratic at northern edge of its
see p.151
range. Breeds in extensive tracts
rufous of long grass or cereal fields,
tail rufous
wings mostly in warm, dry areas.
Increased numbers appear in
longer some “Quail years”.
legs
CORNCRAKE Seen in the UK
see p.155 JF M A M J JA S O N D
Length 16–18cm (6 1 ⁄2 –7in) Wingspan 32–35cm (12 1 ⁄2 –14in) Weight 70–135g (2 1 ⁄2 –5oz)
Social Family groups Lifespan Up to 8 years Status Vulnerable
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