The harlequin quail is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It occurs in sub-Saharan Africa and in the Arabian Peninsula. The species is named after the collector, Adulphe Delegorgue.
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa and the southwestern Arabian Peninsula
Typical Environment
Occurs widely across savannas, open grasslands, lightly wooded areas, and cultivated farmlands. Prefers areas with rank grasses and herb cover for concealment, often near water or damp ground after rains. Avoids dense forests and true deserts but uses bushy edges, fallow fields, and weedy road verges. In the Arabian Peninsula it inhabits similar grassy and cultivated habitats in the southwest.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
A small, ground-dwelling quail of sub-Saharan Africa, the harlequin quail is named for the collector Adulphe Delegorgue. Males show a striking black-and-white facial mask that gives the species its "harlequin" look. It often moves locally in response to seasonal rains and can appear suddenly where grasses have flushed. Its clear, whistled calls are frequently heard at dawn and dusk and are used to locate birds in surveys.
Drawing of the head
Temperament
shy and cryptic
Flight Pattern
Explosive, low flight with short, rapid wingbeats; usually flushes at close range and drops back into cover.
Social Behavior
Typically in pairs during the breeding season and in small coveys at other times. Nests on the ground in a shallow grass-lined scrape, well concealed by vegetation. Clutch size is moderate to large, and chicks are precocial, leaving the nest soon after hatching.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
The male gives clear, whistled phrases, often a repeated two- or three-note call carrying across grasslands. Calling peaks at dawn and dusk, especially following rains.
