Blue Quail (Synoicus adansonii)

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Image of a Blue Quail in its natural habitat
Birds Quail

Introduction

The Blue Quail, also called the African Blue Quail, is a small ground-dwelling galliform in the family Phasianidae. Its accepted scientific name is Synoicus adansonii, although older sources may use Coturnix adansonii or Excalfactoria adansonii. The species is associated mainly with moist grassland and other open habitats in sub-Saharan Africa.

Physical Description

The Blue Quail is a small quail, generally measuring about 12–16.5 cm in length and weighing approximately 43–47 g, although measurements vary between sources and regions. It has a compact body, short rounded wings, strong legs and a relatively short tail, all typical of a ground-feeding galliform.

The species is strongly sexually dimorphic. The male is predominantly dark slate-blue to blue-black above, with a distinctive black-and-white pattern on the throat and upper breast. Chestnut colouring is visible on the flanks and wings, while the lower breast and belly are greyer. The eyes are reddish, and the legs and feet are bright yellow. The upper mandible is black and the lower mandible is darker blue-grey.

The female is chiefly brown and cryptic. She has a pale central crown stripe, buff and rufous streaking or mottling on the upperparts, and strongly barred underparts. Her yellow legs are generally duller than those of the male. Juveniles are less distinctly marked than adults and are principally brown, helping them remain concealed in grass and other ground cover.

Range and Habitat

The Blue Quail is endemic to Africa. Its broad range extends from Sierra Leone eastwards to south-western Ethiopia and southwards through parts of Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Eswatini and eastern South Africa. The species is not evenly distributed across this range. It is associated mainly with wetter areas and is absent from extensive dry regions and much of the dense forest of western and central Africa.

It occupies open or partly open grassy habitats, including wet grassland, marsh edges, swamps, river margins, rice fields, cultivated land and the borders of fields. In some parts of its range it has been recorded at elevations of up to approximately 2,100 metres. Dense grass and other low vegetation provide both feeding opportunities and cover from predators.

The species is not strictly resident throughout its range. Movement patterns vary geographically, and birds may be resident, nomadic or undertake intra-African seasonal movements. Records often increase during or after the rains, when food and suitable cover become more abundant.

Behaviour and Diet

The Blue Quail is primarily terrestrial and usually remains concealed in grass or other low vegetation. It may occur alone, in pairs or in small loose groups. When disturbed, it is more likely to run through cover than to fly, but it can make a rapid, low flight when closely threatened.

Its diet includes grass and weed seeds, green plant material, termites, other insects and their larvae, and small molluscs. This mixed diet reflects the seasonal availability of food in grassland, wetland margins and cultivated areas. Feeding generally takes place on the ground, where the bird searches among grasses and leaf litter.

Breeding is influenced by rainfall and local conditions, so the season differs across the range. In southern Africa, breeding has been recorded mainly during the wetter summer months. The nest is a shallow, concealed structure or scrape at the base of a grass clump, usually lined with dry grass stems and other plant material.

Clutches generally contain about 3–9 eggs. Incubation lasts approximately 16 days and is believed to be performed mainly by the female, although males may show brood-patch development. The chicks are precocial, leaving the nest soon after hatching, and both parents may care for the brood. Details of fledging and juvenile independence remain incompletely documented.

Identification Tips

  • Look for a very small quail in moist or fairly lush grassland, especially near watercourses, marshes or cultivated fields.
  • A male has an overall slate-blue to blue-black appearance, a striking black-and-white throat and upper-breast pattern, chestnut on the flanks, and bright yellow legs.
  • A female is brown and heavily patterned, with a pale crown stripe and dark barring across the underparts.
  • The species is secretive and often detected only when it runs from cover or makes a short, low flight.
  • The male is distinguishable from the Harlequin Quail and Common Quail by its darker slate-blue plumage, black-and-white throat pattern, chestnut wing and flank markings, and bright yellow legs.
  • It may also be confused with an escaped King Quail, Synoicus chinensis. The Blue Quail male generally has a more extensive white area extending onto the upper breast, a stronger black throat pattern and more extensive chestnut flank colouring. Female Blue Quails have darker, more extensive barring on the underparts.

Conservation Status

The Blue Quail is currently assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Its global population size and population trend are not known, so this classification should not be interpreted as evidence that the species is common everywhere.

The principal concerns are the loss and degradation of wet grassland, marshes and other open habitats through agricultural expansion, drainage, vegetation replacement and human disturbance. Because the species is secretive, rainfall-dependent and locally nomadic, reliable population monitoring is difficult.

Conservation priorities include protecting wet grassland and marsh habitat, maintaining suitable vegetation along watercourses, using land-management practices that retain cover, and improving distribution and population monitoring. The species has disappeared from parts of southern Africa where it was formerly recorded, including South Africa, and regional assessments there treat it as extinct or not applicable because it was not considered to have supported a significant proportion of the global population.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the scientific name of the Blue Quail?

The accepted scientific name is Synoicus adansonii. Older literature may refer to the species as Coturnix adansonii or Excalfactoria adansonii.

Where does the Blue Quail live?

It occurs in sub-Saharan Africa, from Sierra Leone and neighbouring West African regions to south-western Ethiopia, and southwards to Angola, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Eswatini and eastern South Africa. It is most closely associated with moist grassland, marshes, river margins and cultivated habitats with adequate cover.

Is the Blue Quail migratory?

Its movements vary across its range. Some populations are resident, while others are nomadic or undertake seasonal movements within Africa in response to rainfall and food availability. It should not be described as uniformly non-migratory.

What does the Blue Quail eat?

The diet includes grass and weed seeds, green plant matter, termites, other insects and their larvae, and small molluscs. The balance between plant and animal food varies with season and local availability.

How can a male Blue Quail be identified?

The male is a small, dark slate-blue or blue-black quail with a black-and-white throat and upper-breast pattern, chestnut on the flanks and wings, reddish eyes and bright yellow legs.

Is the Blue Quail endangered?

Globally, the species is currently classified as Least Concern. However, its population size and trend are uncertain, and local populations may be affected by the loss and degradation of wet grassland and marsh habitat.

References

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