New Zealand Quail vs African Blue Quail
Coturnix novaezelandiae compared with Synoicus adansonii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | New Zealand Quail | African Blue Quail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Coturnix novaezelandiae | Synoicus adansonii |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Extinct | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | — | 14.9 cm (5.9 in) |
| Weight | 174.66666666666666 g (6.16 oz) | 41.666666666666664 g (1.47 oz) |
| Diet | Fed on seeds and invertebrates in New Zealand grassland; extinct since late 19th century. | Feeds on small grass seeds, invertebrates, and plant matter in African tropical grassland and wetland … |
| Clutch Size | -- | 3-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
New Zealand Quail
Extinct since 1875; historical accounts describe a 'quail-like' whistled call from grassland. Likely similar to Common Quail 'wet-my-lips' but undocumented in detail. No recordings exist.
African Blue Quail
High, thin 'wee-wee-wee-wee' whistle in series; tiny, cryptic African grassland quail. Alarm is a sharp 'pip'. Very quiet overall; contact clucks barely audible. Calls at dawn and dusk.
Geographic Range & Migration
New Zealand Quail
Extinct; formerly endemic to New Zealand (North and South Islands); last confirmed record 1875; habitat loss drove extinction.
African Blue Quail
Nomadic resident of open grassland, wetland edge, and savanna across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia and south to Angola.
Conservation Status
New Zealand Quail
African Blue Quail
How to Tell Them Apart
New Zealand Quail
Extinct; brown above with pale buff shaft streaks; male with rufous-buff underparts and dark brown streaking; white supercilium; darker crown. Female paler. Last recorded 1875; similar to Brown Quail.
African Blue Quail
Male dark slaty-blue overall with chestnut flanks; white face markings with black border; similar to Asian Blue Quail. Female brown with buff streaking; pale underparts. African counterpart of Asian Blue …
About These Birds
New Zealand Quail
An extinct Phasianidae quail (~175 g) formerly endemic to open grasslands of New Zealand's North and South Islands. Last confirmed records date to 1875. Brown-streaked with rufous face markings. Extirpated by introduced predators, hunting, and habitat modification following European settlement. Now Extinct.
African Blue Quail
A tiny Phasianidae quail (~42 g) of tall grasses and moist savanna across sub-Saharan Africa. Males have a slaty-blue face and rusty-buff flanks; one of Africa's smallest birds. Highly secretive; rarely flushed. Feeds on tiny grass seeds and invertebrates. Migratory or nomadic following rains. Least Concern.