Wildlifeof Bhutan
Japanese Quail
Pheasants, Partridges & Quails
Photo: (c) 林孫鋒(Lin Sun Fong), some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · CC BY-SA 4.0 (May be cropped or resized)
Coturnix japonica
Basic stats
Diet
Grass seeds, insects, larvae and small invertebrates
Habitat
Grassy fields, riverbank bushes, crop fields, steppes and meadows near water
Range
Breeds in Manchuria, south-east Siberia, northern Japan and Korea; most migrate south to Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and southern China
Incubation period
About 16.5 days
Weight
Wild adults about 90-100g
The Japanese quail is a small, ground-dwelling gamebird that stays in dense vegetation for cover. Wild adults weigh about 90 to 100g and are mostly brown. Males have a dark reddish-brown breast without spots and reddish cheeks, while females have a pale, spotted breast and cream cheeks. It was once treated as a form of the common quail but is now a separate species, because the two meet in Mongolia and near Lake Baikal without interbreeding (Wikipedia, general species account).
It breeds in East Asia and Russia and mostly winters in South-east Asia and southern China, eating grass seeds and small invertebrates at the start and end of the day. The female does all the incubation, about 16.5 days, and parental care. It has been domesticated since the 12th century in Japan, and is farmed for eggs and meat and widely used in research. The source does not discuss Bhutan or the Himalaya, so the Bhutan status of this entry should be checked (Wikipedia, general species account).
Quick answers
- What does the Japanese Quail eat?
- Grass seeds, insects, larvae and small invertebrates
- What habitat does the Japanese Quail live in?
- Grassy fields, riverbank bushes, crop fields, steppes and meadows near water
- Where is the Japanese Quail found?
- Breeds in Manchuria, south-east Siberia, northern Japan and Korea; most migrate south to Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and southern China
- How long are the eggs of the Japanese Quail incubated?
- About 16.5 days
- How much does the Japanese Quail weigh?
- Wild adults about 90-100g