Stubble Quail vs African Blue Quail
Coturnix pectoralis compared with Synoicus adansonii
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Stubble Quail | African Blue Quail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Coturnix pectoralis | Synoicus adansonii |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 20.0 cm (7.9 in) | 14.9 cm (5.9 in) |
| Weight | 100.5 g (3.55 oz) | 41.666666666666664 g (1.47 oz) |
| Diet | Eats grass seeds, grain, and invertebrates in Australian cropland and native grassland. | Feeds on small grass seeds, invertebrates, and plant matter in African tropical grassland and wetland … |
| Clutch Size | 5-14 | 3-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Stubble Quail
Distinctive 'two-to-WHIT' three-note call; slightly higher-pitched and more ringing than Common Quail. Australian croplands species calling from stubble fields. Alarm a soft 'pip'.
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
Stubble Quail
Resident of dry grassland, stubble, and open farmland across southern and eastern Australia; nomadic, following rainfall.
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
Stubble Quail
African Blue Quail
How to Tell Them Apart
Stubble Quail
Brown and buff streaked upperparts; pale buff underparts with bold dark brown streaking; male with orange-buff face and rufous throat; dark anchor marks on flanks. Female plainer; buff throughout with …
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
Stubble Quail
A medium-small Phasianidae quail (~101 g) of cereal stubble, grassland, and heath across southern and eastern Australia. Brown-streaked; males have an orange face and rusty-streaked breast. Nomadic; exploits ephemeral seed crops. Feeds on seeds and invertebrates. Significant gamebird in Australia; Least Concern.
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.