Quail
Coturnix coturnix (Linnaeus, 1758)
Q.
QUAIL
3700
Family: Galliformes > Phasianidae
This small gamebird is secretive and hard to see, although its characteristic sweet ‘wet-my-lips’ call gives away its presence in the countryside.
The Quail is a summer visitor to Britain, and may be encountered anywhere in lowland Britain where there is plenty of arable farmland and open grassland. Quail arrive very late in spring and early summer.
In some years – known as a 'quail year' – the numbers arriving in Britain are much larger than usual. BirdTrack data show 2011 to be one such year, when the number of singing males reported approached 2,000 birds. That year there was also an unusual concentration of birds in the southern Scottish Borders.
Select a topic for more facts and statistics about the Quail
19k records
BTO RECORDS
Identification
Quail identification is often straightforward.
SONGS AND CALLS
Listen to example recordings of the main vocalisations of Quail, provided by xeno-canto contributors.
Call
Song
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Population size and trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO surveys and atlases with data collected by BTO volunteers.
CONSERVATION STATUS
This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.
| UK Birds of Conservation Concern | Amber listed |
| Species of European Conservation Concern | Near Threatened |
| IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global) |
Least Concern 
|
| Schedule 1 license required (to disturb) | Yes |
| Birds Directive Annex 1 | No |
|
Listed on the Annexes of
|
WCA(I), WBD(II*), Bern(III), Bonn(II*) |
POPULATION SIZE
| UK (breeding) | 355 Males (2013–17) |
| BOU Category | A |
|
First Record
|
Recorded in Anglo-Saxon times |
POPULATION CHANGE
This summer migrant is monitored by the RBBP but its status is difficult to assess as numbers can fluctuate from year to year. Occupation is often sporadic and birds do not necessarily use the same sites each year. Occasional invasions ('Quail years') occur and may be caused by spring weather conditions although this is unclear. RBBP data suggest that numbers in the UK have been stable over the 25 years to 2019 and show a five-year mean of 370 males over the period 2015–2019 (Eaton et al. 2021). The same report suggests a northward shift in mean breeding latitude of almost 5 km per annum has occurred over the last 30 years
DISTRIBUTION
Quail breeding season records are distributed throughout lowland England, where arable farmland and open grassland predominate, plus in a narrow band along the eastern side of Scotland as far north as Shetland.
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Britain and Ireland Breeding Distribution 2008-2011.
More from the Atlas Mapstore. -
Britain and Ireland Winter Distribution 2008-2011.
More from the Atlas Mapstore.
Occupied 10-km squares in UK
| No. occupied in breeding season | 873 |
| % occupied in breeding season | 29 |
| No. occupied in winter | 3 |
| % occupied in winter | 0.1 |
European Distribution Map
DISTRIBUTION CHANGE
As Quail numbers vary markedly from year to year, range changes depend on how many 'Quail years' each atlas experienced. Nevertheless, areas of calcareous soils in southern Britain seem to be consistently occupied in all atlases.
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Britain and Ireland Breeding Distribution Change 1968–72 to 2008–11.
More from the Atlas Mapstore. -
Britain and Ireland Winter Distribution Change 1981–84 to 2007–11
More from the Atlas Mapstore.
Change in occupied 10-km squares in the UK
| % change in range in breeding season (1968–72 to 2008–11) | +113% |
| % change in range in winter (1981–84 to 2007–11) | +100% |
SEASONALITY
Quails are summer visitor, mostly arriving from late May onwards. After July probably under-recorded once males stop singing.
Movement
Information about movement and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.
An overview of year-round movements for the whole of Europe can be seen on the EuroBirdPortal viewer.
RINGING RECOVERIES
View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report.
Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland
Biology
Lifecycle and body size information about Quail, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.
PRODUCTIVITY & NESTING
|
Number of Broods
|
1/2 |
|
Egg Size
|
30×23 mm Weight = 8.2 g (of which 9% is shell) |
SURVIVAL & LONGEVITY
View number ringed each year in the Online Ringing Report
|
Typical Lifespan
|
2 years with breeding typically at 1 year |
|
Adult Survival
|
0.29
|
CODES & CLASSIFICATION
|
Ring size
|
C* |
|
Field Codes
|
2-letter: Q. | 5-letter code: QUAIL | Euring: 3700 |
For information in another language (where available) click on a linked name
Gaelic: Gearra-gart
Welsh: Sofliar
Catalan: guatlla comuna
Czech: krepelka polní
Danish: Vagtel
Dutch: Kwartel
Estonian: põldvutt
Finnish: viiriäinen
French: Caille des blés
German: Wachtel
Hungarian: fürj
Icelandic: Kornhæna
Irish: Gearg
Italian: Quaglia
Latvian: paipala
Lithuanian: paprastoji putpele
Norwegian: Vaktel
Polish: przepiórka (zwyczajna)
Portuguese: codorniz
Slovak: prepelica polná
Slovenian: prepelica
Spanish: Codorniz común
Swedish: vaktel
Research
Interpretation and scientific publications about Quail from BTO scientists.
CAUSES AND SOLUTIONS
Causes of change
The breeding range of Quail has shifted northward in Europe, including within the UK, over the last 30 years (Keller et al. 2020; Eaton et al. 2021). Whilst the reasons for this shift are still unclear, it is suspected that differences in numbers of Quail could be linked to weather conditions, and hence it is feasible that long-term changes in Quail distribution could be linked to climate change.
Links to more information from ConservationEvidence.com
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