Photo: christoph_moning / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Game Birds

Common Quail

Coturnix coturnix

Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix) — Gamebirds of Africa.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of British Columbia Birds of Ontario Birds of Quebec Birds of England Birds of Bedfordshire Birds of Buckinghamshire Birds of South Yorkshire Birds of Berkshire Birds of Cambridgeshire Birds of Cheshire

By family

Pheasants, Grouse & Allies of British Columbia Pheasants, Grouse & Allies of Ontario Pheasants, Grouse & Allies of Quebec Pheasants, Grouse & Allies of England

See what's near you right now

The Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix) is a member of the Phasianidae family found in Africa, Europe & Northern Asia and Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 96.3 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Galliformes
Family Phasianidae Pheasants & Allies
Genus Coturnix
Species coturnix

Where it lives

Europe and central Asia

Quick facts

Weight: 96.3 g
Diet: Seed-eaters
Family: Phasianidae
Order: Galliformes
Habitat: Urban & human-modified

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Brown Quail

Synoicus ypsilophorus

Near Threatened

Japanese Quail

Coturnix japonica

Least Concern

Stubble Quail

Coturnix pectoralis

Least Concern

Painted Bush Quail

Perdicula erythrorhyncha

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Common Quail is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.

Behaviour

A bird of farmland, parks and gardens, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Common Quail is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix) is a species of bird in the Phasianidae family, part of the order Galliformes. It occurs naturally across Africa, Europe & Northern Asia and Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers AF, IO, PAL Europe and c Asia.

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 96.3 g, with a wing length of about 10.6 cm and a tail of around 3.8 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 21.3 million km² — a very large global range.

Songs & calls

Common Quail — Song

Recorded by Emil Krokan Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Common Quail?

The Common Quail is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 96.3 g.

Where does the Common Quail live?

The Common Quail is found across Africa, Europe & Northern Asia and Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering AF, IO, PAL Europe and c Asia, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.

What family does the Common Quail belong to?

The Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix) belongs to the Phasianidae family, in the order Galliformes.

What does the Common Quail eat?

The Common Quail is a granivore — it feeds mainly on seeds and grain.

Does the Common Quail migrate?

The Common Quail is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Common Quail endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Common Quail make?

1 real field recording of the Common Quail — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Common Quail's range?

The Common Quail has a mapped global range of about 21.3 million km².