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Coturnix delegorgueiharlequin quail

By Janice Pappas

Ge­o­graphic Range

Har­le­quin quail are found in Kenya, Uganda (Jack­son, 1926), east to the Ivory Coast and to south Africa (Clancy, 1967; Alder­ton, 1992) ex­cept for the Congo basin and Namibia (Johns­gard, 1988). They are also found in most of Mada­gas­car (Johns­gard, 1988). (Alder­ton, 1992; Clancy, 1967; Jack­son, 1926; Johns­gard, 1988)

Habi­tat

These quail are trop­i­cal, ter­res­trial species that in­habit open grass­lands (Jack­son, 1926; Alder­ton, 1992). Their habi­tat, and there­fore their dis­tri­b­u­tion is re­stricted by forested areas (Kuz'mina, 1992). How­ever, these quail will in­habit cul­ti­vated areas (Clancy, 1967). (Alder­ton, 1992; Clancy, 1967; Jack­son, 1926; Kuz'mina, 1992)

Phys­i­cal De­scrip­tion

Male har­le­quin quail have a black and white fa­cial mask, black chest edged with ru­fous-col­ored feath­ers, black ab­domen, and ru­fous-col­ored flanks. Fe­males have a faint black neck­lace, brown-spot­ted ab­domen, and lightly ru­fous-col­ored flanks (Jack­son, 1926; Trol­lope, 1966). These quail range in length from 16 (Alder­ton, 1992) to 20 cm (Jack­son, 1926) and weigh 57 to 71 g. (Alder­ton, 1992; Jack­son, 1926; Trol­lope, 1966)

  • Sexual Dimorphism
  • sexes colored or patterned differently
  • Range mass
    57 to 71 g
    2.01 to 2.50 oz
  • Range length
    16 to 20 cm
    6.30 to 7.87 in

Re­pro­duc­tion

Har­le­quin quail ex­hibit what is called tid­bit­ting, whereby the male of­fers an in­sect to the fe­male. The male will also raise his wings slightly and chase the fe­male (Trol­lope, 1966). Males are ag­gres­sive to­ward one an­other in prepa­ra­tion for the breed­ing sea­son (Clancy, 1967). The pair-bond be­tween males and fe­males is very strong (Johns­gard, 1988). (Clancy, 1967; Johns­gard, 1988; Trol­lope, 1966)

Har­le­quin quail nest on the ground in a scrape lined with weeds. Usu­ally, the nest is hid­den within grassy veg­e­ta­tion (Trol­lope, 1966; Clancy, 1967).

The hen lays from three (Alder­ton, 1992) to nine eggs in a clutch (Jack­son, 192; Trol­lope, 1966). The eggs are light buff or cream-col­ored to olive brown with heavy red­dish-brown, dark chest­nut, or pur­ple-brown mark­ings and are 27 to 31 mm long by 22 to 25 mm wide (Jack­son, 1926; Trol­lope, 1966). In­cu­ba­tion lasts 17 to 18 days (Clancy, 1967; Alder­ton, 1992). The hen may lay two to three clutches per sea­son (Alder­ton, 1992).

In south­ern Africa, these quail breed from Oc­to­ber to March, most breed­ing oc­curs in late De­cem­ber to Jan­u­ary. Rain is the main fac­tor con­trol­ling the breed­ing sea­son (Clancy, 1967; Alder­ton, 1992). (Alder­ton, 1992; Clancy, 1967; Jack­son, 1926; Trol­lope, 1966)

  • Breeding interval
    These quail breed yearly and may have two or three clutches per year.
  • Breeding season
    Breeding occurs from October to March.
  • Range eggs per season
    3 to 9
  • Range time to hatching
    17 to 18 days

Chicks are pre­co­cial, and are a yel­low­ish-buff color with heavy dark-brown stripes and are reared by the fe­male. They can scratch for food on their own at thir­teen days old and will take dust baths at fif­teen days old (Trol­lope, 1966). (Trol­lope, 1966)

  • Parental Investment
  • no parental involvement
  • precocial
  • pre-fertilization
  • pre-hatching/birth
    • protecting
  • pre-weaning/fledging
    • provisioning
      • female

Lifes­pan/Longevity

We do not have in­for­ma­tion on lifes­pan/longevity for this species at this time.

Be­hav­ior

Har­le­quin quail are mi­gra­tory at the north­ern and south­ern most parts of their range (Clancy, 1967; Johns­gard, 1988; Alder­ton, 1992). (Alder­ton, 1992; Clancy, 1967; Johns­gard, 1988)

Home Range

We do not have in­for­ma­tion on the home range of this species at this time.

Com­mu­ni­ca­tion and Per­cep­tion

When iso­lated from each other, males and fe­males will call to one an­other. Males utter a loud "whit-whit-wheet, whit-whit wheet-whit," and fe­males an­swer with "quick-ic" or "queet-ic" (Trol­lope, 1966). When flushed from hid­ing, a squeaky "kree" is heard (Clancy, 1967). (Clancy, 1967; Trol­lope, 1966)

Food Habits

Har­le­quin quail eat a va­ri­ety of weed and grass seeds in­clud­ing mixed mil­lets and maw (Trol­lope, 1967) and shoots and leaves of plants (Clancy, 1967). They also eat small worms, in­sects and their lar­vae (such as white worms, mag­gots, and meal­worms) (Trol­lope, 1966) and small land mol­lusks (Clancy, 1967). (Clancy, 1967; Trol­lope, 1966; Clancy, 1967; Trol­lope, 1966; Clancy, 1967; Trol­lope, 1966; Clancy, 1967; Trol­lope, 1966)

  • Animal Foods
  • insects
  • mollusks
  • terrestrial worms
  • Plant Foods
  • leaves
  • seeds, grains, and nuts

Pre­da­tion

We do not have in­for­ma­tion on pre­da­tion for this species at this time.

Ecosys­tem Roles

Har­le­quin quail af­fect both the plants they eat and the prey they feed on.

Eco­nomic Im­por­tance for Hu­mans: Pos­i­tive

Har­le­quin quail con­sume weed seeds and help pre­vent growth of un­wanted plants.

Eco­nomic Im­por­tance for Hu­mans: Neg­a­tive

There are no known ad­verse af­fects of har­le­quin quail on hu­mans.

Con­ser­va­tion Sta­tus

Har­le­quin quail are not listed by ei­ther the IUCN or CITES.

Other Com­ments

Har­le­quin quail were first bred in cap­tiv­ity by D. Seth-Smith in 1906 in Eng­land (Hop­kin­son, 1926; Trol­lope, 1966). (Hop­kin­son, 1926; Trol­lope, 1966)

Con­trib­u­tors

Alaine Cam­field (ed­i­tor), An­i­mal Di­ver­sity Web.

Jan­ice Pap­pas (au­thor), Uni­ver­sity of Michi­gan-Ann Arbor.

Glossary

Ethiopian

living in sub-Saharan Africa (south of 30 degrees north) and Madagascar.

World Map

acoustic

uses sound to communicate

agricultural

living in landscapes dominated by human agriculture.

bilateral symmetry

having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.

carnivore

an animal that mainly eats meat

chemical

uses smells or other chemicals to communicate

endothermic

animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature. Endothermy is a synapomorphy of the Mammalia, although it may have arisen in a (now extinct) synapsid ancestor; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities. Convergent in birds.

fertilization

union of egg and spermatozoan

folivore

an animal that mainly eats leaves.

granivore

an animal that mainly eats seeds

herbivore

An animal that eats mainly plants or parts of plants.

insectivore

An animal that eats mainly insects or spiders.

iteroparous

offspring are produced in more than one group (litters, clutches, etc.) and across multiple seasons (or other periods hospitable to reproduction). Iteroparous animals must, by definition, survive over multiple seasons (or periodic condition changes).

migratory

makes seasonal movements between breeding and wintering grounds

molluscivore

eats mollusks, members of Phylum Mollusca

monogamous

Having one mate at a time.

motile

having the capacity to move from one place to another.

native range

the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.

omnivore

an animal that mainly eats all kinds of things, including plants and animals

oviparous

reproduction in which eggs are released by the female; development of offspring occurs outside the mother's body.

seasonal breeding

breeding is confined to a particular season

sexual

reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female

tactile

uses touch to communicate

terrestrial

Living on the ground.

tropical

the region of the earth that surrounds the equator, from 23.5 degrees north to 23.5 degrees south.

tropical savanna and grassland

A terrestrial biome. Savannas are grasslands with scattered individual trees that do not form a closed canopy. Extensive savannas are found in parts of subtropical and tropical Africa and South America, and in Australia.

savanna

A grassland with scattered trees or scattered clumps of trees, a type of community intermediate between grassland and forest. See also Tropical savanna and grassland biome.

temperate grassland

A terrestrial biome found in temperate latitudes (>23.5° N or S latitude). Vegetation is made up mostly of grasses, the height and species diversity of which depend largely on the amount of moisture available. Fire and grazing are important in the long-term maintenance of grasslands.

visual

uses sight to communicate

young precocial

young are relatively well-developed when born

Ref­er­ences

Alder­ton, D. 1992. The Atlas of Quails. Nep­tune City, NJ: T.F.H. Pub­li­ca­tions.

Clancy, P. 1967. Game­birds of South­ern Africa. Cape Town: Pur­nell & Sons Ltd.

Hop­kin­son, E. 1926. Records of Birds Bred in Cap­tiv­ity. Lon­don: H.F. & G. With­erby.

Jack­son, F. 1926. Notes on the Game Birds of Kenya and Uganda. Lon­don: Williams & Nor­gate, Ltd.

Johns­gard, P. 1988. The Quails, Par­tridges, and Fran­col­ins of the World. Ox­ford: Ox­ford Uni­ver­sity Press.

Kuz'mina, M. 1992. Tetraonidae and Phasian­idae of the USSR: Ecol­ogy and Mor­phol­ogy. Wash­ing­ton, D.C.: Smith­son­ian In­sti­tu­tion Li­braries.

Trol­lope, J. 1966. Some ob­ser­va­tions on the Har­le­quin Quail. Avi­cul­tural Mag­a­zine, 72(1): 5-6.

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Classification

Classification

  • Kingdom Animalia animals
  • Phylum Chordata chordates
  • Subphylum Vertebrata vertebrates
  • Class Aves birds
  • Order Galliformes chicken-like birds
  • Family Phasianidae turkeys, grouse, pheasants, and partridges
  • Genus Coturnix Asian quails
  • Species Coturnix delegorguei harlequin quail