Quail
| Irish Name: | Gearg |
| Scientific name: | Coturnix coturnix |
| Bird Family: | Game Birds |
red
Conservation status
Conservation status
Status
Rare summer visitor and passage migrant.
Identification
A ground bird, difficult to see in its breeding grounds where it remains in dense cover and steals away rather than flying. Very small, with a small stocky body and long pointed wings which give the bird a distinctive shape. Sturdy legs. If it does fly, then look out for the rapid wingbeats and direct flight, it quickly drops back into cover. Quails are beautifully and finely marked. Females and males are similar, but males show a black-throat centre. Both sexes have brown upperparts with dark brown markings, the markings on the head include an eye stripe and crown stripes. There are white stripes on the upperparts and flanks; the underparts are pale buff.
Voice
Song is rendered as 'wet my lips', a three syllable phase repeated quickly, which carries a long way.
Diet
Mainly seeds and invertebrates. Plant material includes weed seed and cereals. Animal material includes small ground living insect and larvae.
Breeding
Nests on the ground. In 2004, reported from Counties Galway, Mayo, Offaly and Kildare. This is an elusive and little known species keeping to thick cover and many birds may be overlooked. Formerly a much more widespread breeder in Ireland, when cereals were grown on smallholdings. It declined along with cereal growing and has probably been affected by heavy shooting pressure in the Mediterranean, where it is a popular gamebird. Prefers large open spaces, avoids open ground, scrub and trees. Found in cereal fields, such as winter wheat, corn fields, fallows and rough grassland.
Monitored by
Uncommon Summer visitor, although numbers can vary due to migratory annual flux. A year when migration is high is often followed by several poor years. Best located by its distinctive call.
Wintering in Africa.
