New World edit
Quail that have fed on hemlock (e. g. , during migration) may result in acute kidney damage because of the buildup of hazardous materials from the hemlock in the meat; this issue is known as “coturnism.” [5].
Taxonomy edit
Five subspecies are recognised:[6]
- C. c. Coturnix (Linnaeus, 1758): winters in Africa and central, south India; breeds in Europe and northwest Africa, migrating to Mongolia and north India.
- C. c. conturbans Hartert, 1917 – Azores
- C. c. inopinata Hartert, 1917 – Cape Verde Islands
- C. c. Temminck, Africana
- C. c. erlangeri Zedlitz, 1912 – east and northeast Africa
Poisoning edit
Common quails can produce poisonous meat if they have eaten specific plants, the identity of which plant is still up for debate. One in four quail victims of poisonous flesh develop coturnism, a condition marked by soreness in the muscles and possibly kidney failure. [15][16][17].
Relationship to humans editSee also:
In the Mediterranean region, the common quail is extensively hunted as game during migration. Huge quantities are entangled in nets along Egypt’s Mediterranean coast. According to estimates, in 2012, three people migrated in the fall. In northern Sinai, 4 million birds were captured, and possibly as many as 12 9 million in the whole of Egypt. [14].
There has been a surge in the propagation of this species in Europe and the United States in recent years. However, most of this increase is with hobbyists. In certain areas of its range, like Ireland, it is dwindling.
When Queen Jane Seymour, the third wife of Henry VIII and mother of the future King Edward VI, became obsessed with quail in 1537, courtiers and diplomats across the world were instructed to locate enough quail for the Queen.
Description edit
The common quail measures 16–18 cm (6 1⁄2–7 in) in length and 32–35 cm (12 1⁄2–14 in) in wingspan. It is a small, compact gallinaceous bird. It weighs between 70 and 140 g (2 1⁄2 and 5 oz). Before migration at the end of the breeding season, it is at its peak. The female is generally slightly heavier than the male. It has brown streaks, a white eyestripe, and a white chin on the male. Its long wings, in contrast to the usual gamebirds’ short wings, are appropriate for its migratory lifestyle. As stated in the Online Etymology Dictionary, “small Old World migratory game bird, late 14c.” (early 14c. Old French quaille (Modern French caille) is the source of the surname Quayle. It may have originated from a Germanic source (compare Dutch kwakkel, Old High German quahtala, German Wachtel, Old English wihtel), or it may have come from Medieval Latin quaccula (source also of Provençal calha, Italian quaglia, Portuguese calha, and Old Spanish coalla). Alternatively, the English word may have originated locally from Proto-Germanic “[11].