Rain Quail
Encyclopedia
The Rain Quail or Black-breasted Quail (Coturnix coromandelica) is a species of quail
found in South Asia
.
, Pakistan
, the Gangetic plains, and parts of peninsular continental India. Mostly seen in winter further south.
and Japanese Quail
, although the spots on the breast are more delicate.
The call is a metallic chrink-chrink, constantly repeated mornings and evenings, and in the breeding season also during the night. It is quite unmistakably distinct from the call of the Common Grey Quail.
Quail
Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally considered in the order Galliformes. Old World quail are found in the family Phasianidae, while New World quail are found in the family Odontophoridae...
found in South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
.
Distribution
Grassland, cropped fields, and scrubs in the Indus valley of central IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, the Gangetic plains, and parts of peninsular continental India. Mostly seen in winter further south.
Description
The Rain Quail lacks barring on primaries. The male has a black breast-patch and distinctive head pattern of black and white. The female is difficult to separate from female Common QuailCommon Quail
The Common Quail, Coturnix coturnix, is a small bird in the pheasant family Phasianidae. It is widespread and is found in parts of Europe, .- Description :It is a small rotund bird, essentially streaked brown with...
and Japanese Quail
Japanese Quail
The Japanese Quail, also known as Coturnix Quail, Coturnix japonica, is a species of Old World Quail found in East Asia. They are a migratory species, breeding in Manchuria, southeastern Siberia, northern Japan, and the Korean Peninsula, and wintering in the south of Japan and southern China. They...
, although the spots on the breast are more delicate.
The call is a metallic chrink-chrink, constantly repeated mornings and evenings, and in the breeding season also during the night. It is quite unmistakably distinct from the call of the Common Grey Quail.
Breeding
- Season: overall March to October, but chiefly after the break of the southwesterly monsoonMonsoonMonsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
in June. - Nest: Eggs are laid in a scrape in the ground, sometimes in the open under a Euphorbia or similar bush. A clutch of 6 to 8 eggs are laid, resembling those of Grey Quail but smaller. Only the female incubates.