Stubble quail

The stubble quail (Coturnix pectoralis) is a species of Old World quail native to Australia. The species is not under any threat of extinction (IUCN Least Concern). Stubble quail are widespread and found throughout all states and territories of Australia excluding Tasmania. Other common names include grey quail and pectoral quail.

The stubble quail is a ground dwelling bird that is characterised by its dark brown feathers with a cream coloured strip down the centre of each feather giving rise to stripes down the length of the bird. It is a plump species that is larger than other native quails. Male birds will mature at about 18.0–18.5 cm long and females are generally slightly larger. Adult males weigh around 100g and the females around 110g with all birds having a wingspan of between 25–33 cm. The stubble quail can also be identified by the loud whirring noise made by their wings during take-off into flight once disturbed from on the ground.

The brown quail is also a member of the family Phasianidae that looks similar to the stubble quail; however, the brown quail appears darker in colour. The white streaks that are obvious on the back of the stubble quail are thinner and less obvious on the brown quail. The brown quail does not have white streaks underneath its body like the stubble quail, but has black horizontal bars instead. This makes the brown quail look much darker than the stubble quail in flight. The brown quail's wings produce a whistling noise when flushed, which is different from the whirring sound produced by the stubble quail's wings. The plains-wanderer is a highly endangered native species that looks very similar to the stubble quail but can be distinguished by its long yellow legs that can be observed during flight. The little buttonquail is a member of the family Turnicidae, but is another species that is sometimes confused with the stubble quail. The little button-quail is a smaller bird with short, round wings and often makes a call of alarm when flushed, whereas stubble quail are vocally silent.