By Janice Pappas
Geographic Range
Jungle bush-quail are found in India, specifically from Kashmir and the outer Himalayas south to Deccan and Orissa (Reay, 1965; Rutgers and Norris, 1970). They are also found in Sri Lanka (Alderton, 1992). (Alderton, 1992; Reay, 1965; Rutgers and Norris, 1970)
Habitat
(3936 ft)
These quail are found in dry scrub and brush, open deciduous forest, and stony grasslands. They prefer stony areas with thorny bushes for nesting. In addition, these quail may be found at an altitude of 1200 m. (Johnsgard, 1988)
Terrestrial Biomes:
savanna or grassland 
; forest ; scrub forest .
Physical Description
(5.98 to 6.89 in)
Generally, these quail are 15.2 cm (Rutgers and Norris, 1970) to 17.5 cm (Alderton, 1992) in length and chestnut-brown with a dark eyebrow stripe bordered in white running onto the nape. They have dark brown ear coverts and their chestnut-brown chin and throat patch is bordered by a pale yellowish band with reddish-brown flecks. The breast and abdomen are white with distinct transverse black stripes. Underneath the chestnut-brown tail coverts is reddish-brown. The beak is brown with a black tip, and the legs and feet are orangish-yellow. Small spurs are also present. The main difference between males and females is that the hen has an almost uniform buff breast and abdomen (Rutgers and Norris, 1970). (Alderton, 1992; Rutgers and Norris, 1970)
Some key physical features:
endothermic ; bilateral symmetry .
Sexual dimorphism: sexes colored or patterned differently.
Reproduction
The timing of the breeding season depends on geographic location.
The pair-bond is strong, and these quail are believed to be monogamous. (Johnsgard, 1988)
Mating systems:
monogamous .
The breeding season occurs over an extended period of time from the end of the rainy season to the end of cold weather, depending on geographic location. The nest is in an area with cover for protection (Johnsgard, 1988).
The hen lays four to nine cream-colored, glossy eggs (Reay, 1965; Rutgers and Norris, 1970; Johnsgard, 1988) which take twenty-one days to hatch (Rutgers and Norris, 1970; Alderton, 1992). The nest is a bare hollow in the ground without a lining (Reay, 1965). The chicks, which are slightly larger than those of Chinese painted quail, are dark brown with a buff stripe on the back of the head (Reay, 1965). (Alderton, 1992; Johnsgard, 1988; Reay, 1965; Rutgers and Norris, 1970)
Key reproductive features:
iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization (internal ); oviparous .
Only the female incubates the eggs, but both parents raise the precocial chicks. (Reay, 1965)
Parental investment:
no parental involvement; precocial ; pre-hatching/birth (protecting: female); pre-weaning/fledging (provisioning: male, female).
Lifespan/Longevity
We do not have information on lifespan/longevity for this species at this time.
Behavior
Jungle bush-quail are shy and wary in the wild; they require a lot of grassy cover in order to become adapted to captivity. They are also sand-bathers (Reay, 1965). The male is very protective of the hen and newly hatched chicks (Alderton, 1992).
These quail form tight coveys of approximately a dozen birds. However, during the breeding season, males become very aggressive and territorial (Johnsgard, 1988). (Alderton, 1992; Johnsgard, 1988; Reay, 1965)
Home Range
We do not have information on home range for this species at this time.
Key behaviors:
flies; glides; motile ; territorial ; social .
Communication and Perception
When flushed from cover, jungle bush-quail will utter a separation call of repeated "tiri" notes. To advertise for a female, the male will utter a harsh, grating "chee-chee-chuck" repeatedly. He will also utter this call in response to a territorial challenge. (Johnsgard, 1988)
Communicates with:
acoustic .
Food Habits
Jungle bush-quail eat a variety of grass and weed seeds such as pannicum, millet, and maw as well as lentils (Reay, 1965; Johnsgard, 1988; Alderton, 1992). They also eat maggots and small insect larvae (Reay, 1965; Alderton, 1992). (Alderton, 1992; Johnsgard, 1988; Reay, 1965)
Primary Diet:
omnivore .
Animal Foods:
insects.
Plant Foods:
seeds, grains, and nuts.
Predation
We do not have information on predation for this species at this time.
Ecosystem Roles
Jungle bush-quail have an impact on the plant seeds and prey they consume.
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
There are no known adverse affects of jungle bush-quail on humans.
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Jungle bush-quail are sometimes kept in aviaries.
Ways that people benefit from these animals:
pet trade .
Conservation Status
Jungle bush-quail are not listed by CITES or the IUCN.
Other Comments
J.H. Reay has been given credit as the first person to successfully breed jungle bush-quail in captivity (Reay, 1965; Alderton, 1992). However, other accounts state that an individual named von Thein was the first breeder, and in 1909, nine young were reared in Calcutta (Hopkinson, 1926).
These quail are most closely related to those from the genus Coturnix (Johnsgard, 1988). (Alderton, 1992; Hopkinson, 1926; Johnsgard, 1988; Reay, 1965)
For More Information
Find Perdicula asiatica information at
Contributors
Janice Pappas (author), University of Michigan.
Alaine Camfield (editor), Animal Diversity Web.
