Quail Facts, Worksheets, Habitat, Diet, Characteristics & Breeding For Kids (2024)

Quails are very small birds that belong to the pheasant and partridge species. The have a distinctive body shape with a small stocky body and long pointed wings. There are around 20 different species of quail found around the world, and 70 domestic quails are kept as poultry birds.

See the fact file below for more information on the quails or alternatively, you can download our 24-page Quail worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Characteristics

• They have streaked and buffed feathers in either blue, black, brown, cream, or white color.
• Colors and arrangement of feathers have a scale-like pattern.
• Quails have long and strong legs that are brown in color.
• The lower parts of their bodies have a warm, buffy orange color.
• Their beaks are short, curved, chunky, and black in color.
• A quail’s length can only reach 4.5 to 7.8 inches.
• It weighs 2.4 to 4.9 ounces.
• Their wingspan can reach up to 32 to 35 centimeters.
• Although they have long pointed wings, they are able to fly only short distances.
• Different quail species can be very different in color, size, and their adapted environment.
• A certain species of quails have a topknot (also called plume), on the top of their heads that is shaped like a teardrop.

Habitat and Diet

• Quails live in woodlands, croplands, and open spaces that are covered with bushes such as grasslands and farmlands.
• They originated from North America but can also be found across Europe, Australia, Asia, Africa, and South America.
• Wild Japanese quail species live in Russia, East Asia, and other parts of Africa.
• Quails inhabit the same area for almost all of their lives – most of them do not migrate.
• Quails are ground dwellers.
• Quails are omnivores, although 95% of their diet is composed of plant matter.
• They eat mainly grass seeds and berries.
• Depending on their habitat, they also eat leaves, roots, worms, and some insects such as grasshoppers.

Ecology and Behavior

• Depending on specific species, quails are either active during the day or the night.
• Quails clean their feathers to be free from pests by bathing in dust.
• Quails are solitary birds but can also spend their time in pairs.
• A group of quails is called a flock, bevy, covey, or queer.
• During mating or winter season, quails live in flocks.
• Due to quails’ size and and its vulnerable eggs, they have many predators namely; snakes, raccoons, foxes, squirrels, coyotes, skunks, hawks, dogs, cats, owls, rats, and weasels.
• Humans are also considered to be quails’ predator.
• Quails communicate through high-pitched sounds, grunts, and cackles. These sounds have beats and harmony.
• When faced with predators, quails will typically run and hide.
• Some quails are quick to fly in short distances when they feel threatened, while others become motionless.
• Some quails have defense mechanisms such as heel spurs that are bony structures used against predators.
• Quails are extremely difficult to find. It is easier to locate them by their distinctive call.

Breeding

• Quails nest on the ground, preferably in open areas and cereal fields such as wheat lands, corn fields, fallows, and rough grassland.
• Quails start to mate at 2 months old.
• Quails lay around one to 12 eggs, usually 6 eggs, depending on the species.
• Quail eggs have bright colors. Baby quails are called chicks.
• Chicks hatch out of their eggs in less than a month.
• In most of quail species, chicks are already well developed and able to leave their nest and follow their parents right after they hatch.
• Chicks reach maturity at 2 months old and are then ready to mate.
• Quails survive 3 to 5 years in the wild.

Quail Farming

• Quails are also kept as poultry or commercial birds in some parts of the world because of their meat and their bright eggs.
• Most commonly kept quails are the Japanese quails, beginning way back the 11th century in Japan.
• Quails are the smallest farm bird weighing only 100 grams.
• 80% of quails are farmed in China.
• The European Union produces 100 million quail per year. A total of ~1.4 billion quails are farmed in a year worldwide.
• Unregulated farming of quails has banned housing systems consisting of battery cages and overcrowded barns that house thousands of quails.
• Quail hens lay eggs at around 7 weeks old. Hens are slaughtered at 8 months old.
• Quails farmed for their meat are slaughtered at 5 weeks old.
• A good quail farm should ensure the physical and mental well-being and natural living of the quails.

Interesting Facts

• Quails produce sound famously known as “wet-my-lips” that they repeat during the evening and can be heard from long distances making them difficult to locate.
• Quail’s colored eggs are considered a fine delicacy and are a staple in luxurious restaurants.
• During the 11th century in Japan, the Japanese quails were originally kept as songs birds.
• Not all quail farms are regulated and are heavily used for commercial businesses.

Quail Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about quails across 24 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Quail worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the quails which are very small birds that belong to the pheasant and partridge species. The have a distinctive body shape with a small stocky body and long pointed wings. There are around 20 different species of quail found around the world, and 70 domestic quails are kept as poultry birds.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

• Quail Facts
• What The Quail
• P Vocabulary
• Locating Quails
• Quail Word Search
• Correct Colors
• Quail Quiz
• Food Web Sketch
• Quail Eggs
• Quail Farms
• My Quail Tale

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Link will appear as - KidsKonnect, March 8, 2019