Common quail

Coturnix coturnix

Description:
This small bird measures up to 17 centimetres in length. It has dark brown markings above and on the breast and head, with narrow whitish eye-stripes. The male has a white chin.

Habitat:
The quail lives on farmland and grassland. It is found across Europe, except for the north and northwest. It spends the winter in Africa, migrating during the night.

Habits:
Often heard but rarely seen, the quail keeps itself well hidden among farm crops. Its call — mainly heard at dusk and daybreak — is a rhythmic trisyllabic phrase, rapidly repeated three to eight times. It nests on the ground, eating grains, young plants and invertebrates.