The quail is a bird from the group of chickens.
Quails are migratory birds that belong to the group of Gallinaceae . Animals of this type usually have a solid body and legs adapted to terrestrial habits.
Belonging to the genus Coturnix , the species are part of the pheasant family group. Quails measure approximately 20 centimeters long and have pointed wings that allow them to fly between different continents. These narrow and elongated wings differentiate the quail from the rest of the chickens.
Characteristics of quail
The plumage of the quail is brown on the wings, back and head , with darker stripes. On the lower part of the body the feathers are grayish or yellowish.
The beak is also darker in the upper area. Other characteristic features are the absence of dewclaws on the feet and the presence of a short tail.
The migration
As we said at the beginning, the quail is a migratory bird. Take the case of the common quail , scientific name Coturnix coturnix : the Eurasian populations breed on the European continent and in the more temperate Asian areas and then move to go through the winter in the Indian subcontinent and Africa .
When autumn arrives, the movement occurs in the opposite direction. It must be taken into account, however, that there are populations of quail that are not migratory, such as those that live in India and southern Africa, for example .
Quail feeding
Seeds are the most important food source for quail. They generally eat seeds of grass plants such as corn or wheat . Quails also feed on snails and insects .
It is important to note that the diet is linked to the season. While in summer and autumn they usually eat seeds, grains and fruits, in winter and spring they prefer small invertebrates and insects.
Quail eggs are considered a delicacy in many regions.
How they reproduce
Quail are polygamous . A male can copulate consecutively with several females , while a female can be fertilized by several males a few hours apart.
The females place the eggs in a hole where they place dry grasses. They usually lay between 6 and 18 eggs, which they incubate for about seventeen days. The chicks already peck as soon as they are born, they begin to flutter when they are fifteen days old and fly when they are one month old.
Quail meat and eggs
Quail meat is highly appreciated in several countries for its mild flavor. It has few fats and many proteins, also standing out for containing phosphorus, iron and calcium.
The usual thing is that the meat is prepared roasted, in stews or stuffed. It can even be used to make pâté.
Quail eggs are better known than meat. Much smaller than chicken eggs, these eggs are prepared in multiple ways: fried, poached and in other ways.
A municipality in Spain
It should be noted that Codorniz is the name of a municipality in the province of Segovia . It has an area of just over 64 square kilometers and has about 340 inhabitants.
The town of Codorniz is part of the region known as Campiña Segoviana . In ancient times it was part of the town and land community of Arévalo .