The brown quail, also known as the swamp quail, silver quail and Tasmanian quail, is an Australasian true quail of the family Phasianidae. It is a small, ground-dwelling bird and is native to mainland Australia, Tasmania and Papua New Guinea and has been introduced to New Zealand and Fiji. Widespread and common throughout its large range, the brown quail is evaluated as being of "least concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Region
Australasia
Typical Environment
Occupies open grasslands, sedge and rush wetlands, coastal heath, lightly wooded areas, and agricultural fields where dense ground cover is available. It favors damp margins of swamps and creeks as well as rough pasture and fallow paddocks. Avoids closed forests but uses edges and clearings. Often remains hidden, moving through vegetation rather than crossing open ground.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 3/5
Also called swamp, silver, or Tasmanian quail, this small ground-dweller relies on superb camouflage and will flush suddenly with a whirring burst when approached. It is native to Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea and has been introduced to New Zealand and Fiji. Brown quail typically form small coveys outside the breeding season and nest on the ground in dense grass.
Female
Temperament
secretive and wary
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with explosive flush; low, fast flight to nearby cover
Social Behavior
Outside breeding season they form small coveys that feed and roost together. During breeding they pair up and the female builds a shallow, grass-lined ground nest concealed in dense cover. Chicks are precocial and leave the nest shortly after hatching, guided by the adults.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Calls include soft contact chirps and a clear, whistled advertising call given by males, often at dawn and dusk. Alarm is a sharp, repeated chip followed by silence or an explosive flush.
Plumage
Finely mottled and scalloped brown upperparts with buff and black streaking; underparts buff to rufous with dark barring. Plumage is dense and cryptic, blending well with grasses and leaf litter.
Diet
Feeds on a wide variety of grass and sedge seeds, green shoots, and fallen grain in farmland. Supplements this with insects such as beetles, ants, and grasshoppers, especially in the breeding season. Will also take small snails and other invertebrates when available.
Preferred Environment
Forages on the ground under dense grass, along crop edges, and at wetland margins where cover is close by. Often picks food while moving quietly through vegetation, rarely venturing into open areas.
