The New Zealand quail, or koreke in Māori, is an extinct quail species endemic to New Zealand. The male and female were similar, except the female was lighter. The first scientist to describe it was Sir Joseph Banks when he visited New Zealand on James Cook's first voyage. Terrestrial and temperate, this species inhabited lowland tussock grassland and open fernlands. The first specimen to be obtained by a European was collected in 1827 by Jean René Constant Quoy and Joseph Paul Gaimard on Dumont D'Urville's voyage. It most likely went extinct due to diseases from introduced game birds.
Region
New Zealand
Typical Environment
Historically occurred in lowland tussock grasslands, open fernlands, and scrubby margins, particularly on river terraces and plains. It favored mosaics of short vegetation with nearby dense cover for concealment. The quail nested on the ground in shallow scrapes lined with grasses and leaves. It avoided dense forest and was associated with open habitats maintained by natural disturbance and traditional burning.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 900 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Known as the koreke in Māori, the New Zealand quail was a small ground-dwelling quail that disappeared rapidly after European settlement. It inhabited lowland tussock grasslands and open fernlands across parts of both main islands. Likely drivers of extinction include habitat conversion, hunting, introduced predators, and diseases introduced with game birds. The species was last reliably reported in the late 19th century.
Temperament
secretive and wary
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with low, explosive flush
Social Behavior
Typically formed small family groups or loose coveys outside the breeding season. Nests were shallow ground scrapes hidden in dense grass or fern, with the female primarily incubating. Chicks were precocial and followed parents soon after hatching.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
The call was a soft, whistled series typical of Coturnix quails, used for contact and advertising. Males gave brief, repetitive whistles that carried over open ground, while alarm calls were sharp and clipped.
Plumage
Mottled and barred brown with buff and black streaking, providing strong camouflage in grass and bracken. Underparts are lighter with fine barring; sexes are similar, the female slightly paler overall.
Diet
A ground-foraging omnivore, taking grass and herb seeds, tender shoots, and a variety of invertebrates such as beetles, ants, and caterpillars. It likely consumed grit to aid digestion. Foraging was deliberate, with pecking and light scratching to uncover seeds and small prey. Seasonal shifts in diet followed seed availability and insect abundance.
Preferred Environment
Fed along the edges of tussock patches, fern clearings, and open scrub where cover was close at hand. River flats, track margins, and lightly disturbed ground provided favored foraging sites.
