Overview
The stubble quail is a ground dwelling bird that is characterised by its dark brown feathers with a cream coloured strip down the centre of each feather giving rise to stripes down the length of the bird. It is a plump species that is larger than other native quails. The stubble quail can also be identified by the loud whirring noise made by their wings during take-off into flight once disturbed from on the ground.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Bird
- Family
- Odontophoridae
- Genus
- Coturnix
- Species
- pectoralis
Habitat
Savanna to grasslands.
Diet
Mainly feeding on seeds and insects.
Behavior
Stubble quail are nomadic and move to available resources however when resources are very limited, they tend to scatter in all directions. The birds can travel very long distances with the furthest recorded at 1142 km. Stubble quail are usually sighted individually or in pairs though are sometime seen in small groups of up to 20 birds. Larger groups will be present in areas where the conditions are good.
Hunting
Upland game bird most effectivily hunted with bird dogs. Hunted with shotgun, a 20ga shotgun would be proper with a 7 shot size.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by IUCN.