Brown Quail
Other common names: Swamp Quail (ypsilophora)
Barred, not streaked underparts. Female pale overall, with different markings on UnP. Immature has more distinct shaft stress. Races differ mainly in size, and also in colour and pattern of plumage of males.
Taxonomy: Coturnix ypsilophorus Bosc, 1792, no locality = Tasmania.
Barred, not streaked underparts. Female pale overall, with different markings on underparts. Immature has more distinct shaft stress. Races differ mainly in size, and also in colour and pattern of plumage of males.
17-22 cm, 75-140 g, wingspan 26-36 cm
Previously placed in genus Synoicus. All races except nominate ypsilophora have been considered separate species, C. australis, but morphological differences between some of these greater than those between australis and ypsilophora. Populations of N Queensland, NW Australia and SW Australia have been separated in races queenslandica, cervina and sordida respectively; but differences slight, while there is no clear relation between geographical distribut
Wet grasslands and shrubland, especially in rank grass and moist meadows, aalso in cereal crop, stubble, coastal scrub, open woodland and in reedbeds or stands of other dense aquatic vegetation fringing freshwater wetlands, high grand during heavy rains.
Mainly senes of grasses and herbs and some leaves also some animals, including worms and isopodes, a gecko 7 cm long, and larvae and adults of insect. Forages on grand.
Season Aug-Jun in S Australia, 2-4 month later in N Australia. Monogamous, at least in captivity. Nes tis a scrape on the grand, 2-5 cm deep, lined with grass and leaves, placed in grass or other dense grand vegetation. Normally 4-6 eggs in PNG, may rais numerus broods in a season. Chicks have dark brown and buff above, dull brown mottled team below.