The quail is a member of the pheasant family (though they don’t look same, quails and pheasants are closely related).
Originating in North America, these birds can now be found throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and South America. Let’s learn some interesting quail facts for kids now.
Scientific Classification of Quail
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Galliformes |
| Superfamily: | Phasianoidea |
Quail Facts for Kids 1-11
1. The quail is a little bird. It can attain a length of 4.5 to 7.8 inches and a weight of 2.4 to 4.9 ounces.
2. The feathers of quails are brown, grey, black, white, and blue. Certain regions of the body have a scaly appearance due to the coloring and arrangement of feathers.
3. Certain kinds of quails have a teardrop-shaped plume (also known as a topknot) on top of their heads. It oscillates when the bird walks.
4. Quails are capable of brief flights but spend the majority of their time on the ground.
5. Depending on the species, quails may be active during the day known as diurnal animals or at night known as nocturnal animals.
6. Quail are omnivores (eats other animals and plants). It primarily eats seeds, wheat, leaves, barley, berries, and grasshoppers and worms on occasion.
7. Quails emit high-pitched sounds, such as cackles and grunts, for communication.
8. Quails bathe in dust to eradicate parasites from their feathers and maintain a clean plumage.
9. Quails flee when they perceive a threat. Some species can quickly reach the sky, whilst others become immobile when threatened.
Certain quails have heel spurs, which are bone structures useful for defence against predators.
10. Important quail predators include coyotes, foxes, cats, raccoons, hawks, owls, and snakes. They also hunt and consume quail eggs.
11. Some quails are migratory, while others live their entire lives in the same location.
Quail Facts for Kids 12-22
12. Quails are typically solitary birds that are sometimes observed in pairs. During mating season, they assemble in big groups.
13. Females lay between one and twelve (often six) brilliantly colored eggs that hatch following a 23-day incubation period.
14. Quails can live in the wild for three to five years.
15. The breeding season of the common quail can vary by region. September to March in Africa, May to August in Europe, and January and February in Kenya during the wet season.
16. Male quails typically arrive in the nesting region first and use their mating call to attract females.
When female birds come in an area, male birds are known to do a courtship dance in which they flutter their feathers and move in circles around the females.
17. The nest is composed of grass. Females lay between one and twelve (often six) brilliantly colored eggs that hatch following a 23-day incubation period and the young are ready to fly after 11 days.
The chicks are born fully developed and immediately adjust to their environment.
18. Most quail species have precocial chicks. This indicates that, shortly after birth, young birds are fully developed and prepared to leave the nest and follow their parents. Young quails reach maturity at two months of age.
19. The status of the common quail in terms of conservation is Least Concern.
Despite the abundance of numbers, the population is declining. Loss of habitat, climate change, drought, and hunting pose the greatest risk to the population of this species.
20. The common quail’s top speed is 37.2 mph (60 kph).
21. The typical length of a common quail is 6.3–7.1 inches (16–18 centimeters), and its wing span is 13–14 inches (33–35.5 cm).
Comparing the lengths of the common quail and the Japanese quail, the latter may be significantly longer. Common quail are six times bigger than dragonflies.
22. The males are known as roosters, while the females are called hens. Baby bobwhite quail are known as chicks.