Harlequin quail
| Harlequin quail | ||||||||
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Harlequin Quail ( Coturnix delegorguei ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||
| Coturnix delegorguei | ||||||||
| Delegorgue , 1847 |
The harlequin quail ( Coturnix delegorguei ) is a fowl native to tropical sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar and southern Arabia . The habitat is open grassland and agricultural areas with low vegetation.
description
The harlequin quail becomes 16 to 19 cm long. Males reach a weight of 49 to 81 grams, females weigh 63 to 94 grams. Males have a high-contrast black and white coloration, especially on the head and throat area. The throat of the males is white with black, anchor-shaped markings. The hens are nondescript brown.
Reproduction
The breeding season is in the rainy season and varies from region to region. The hens lay around 4 to 8 speckled eggs in a sheltered place, which are incubated by the female for 14 to 18 days. The little chicks flee the nest. The rooster stays close and tries to keep potential enemies at a distance.
nutrition
Harlequin quails feed mainly on grass and weed seeds, as well as articulated animals such as grasshoppers, beetles, bed bugs, ants, termites, millipedes and small snails.
Subspecies and distribution
There are three subspecies:
- Coturnix delegorguei arabica in Yemen .
- Coturnix delegorguei delegorguei , the nominate form lives in tropical Africa from the Ivory Coast to Ethiopia and south to South Africa and Madagascar.
- Coturnix delegorguei histrionica on São Tomé .
swell
- Josep del Hoyo et al .: Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 2: New World Vultures to Guinea Fowl. Lynx Edicions, 1994, ISBN 84-87334-15-6 .
- Coturnix delegorguei onthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . Retrieved July 10, 2007.
