African Blue Quail vs Asian Blue Quail
Synoicus adansonii compared with Synoicus chinensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | African Blue Quail | Asian Blue Quail |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Synoicus adansonii | Synoicus chinensis |
| Order | Galliformes | Galliformes |
| Family | Phasianidae | Phasianidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 14.9 cm (5.9 in) | 13.9 cm (5.5 in) |
| Weight | 41.666666666666664 g (1.47 oz) | 38.0 g (1.34 oz) |
| Diet | Feeds on small grass seeds, invertebrates, and plant matter in African tropical grassland and wetland … | Eats small seeds, invertebrates, and plant material in grassland and open scrub of Asia and … |
| Clutch Size | 3-9 | 4-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
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.
Asian Blue Quail
Very high-pitched, thin 'wee-wee-wee' whistle; tiny quail with soft, subtle voice. Contact calls in covey are quiet, rolling clucks. Alarm is a sharp 'pip'. Often only detected by very thin …
Geographic Range & Migration
African Blue Quail
Nomadic resident of open grassland, wetland edge, and savanna across sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia and south to Angola.
Asian Blue Quail
Resident and nomadic across South and Southeast Asia from India to the Philippines, and south to Australia; inhabits grassland and crops.
Conservation Status
African Blue Quail
Asian Blue Quail
How to Tell Them Apart
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 …
Asian Blue Quail
Male blue-grey with chestnut-brown sides; white and black patterned throat and face; chestnut flanks. Female brown with buff streaking throughout; lacks blue-grey of male; one of world's smallest quails.
About These Birds
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.
Asian Blue Quail
The world's smallest gamebird (~38 g), family Phasianidae, inhabiting tall grasses and paddy edges across South and Southeast Asia to Australia. Males have sky-blue face and throat with a black-and-white necklace. Feeds on tiny seeds and small invertebrates. Remarkably inconspicuous despite its tiny size. Least Concern.